Lions pitcher Paddack proud of making good on championship promise: 'That was something special'

The Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) champion was secured by the Samsung Lions on Sunday, thanks to a stellar performance by former major league pitcher Chris Paddack. Paddack had previously promised fans that he would deliver a title for the Lions when he joined them in July. He delivered on that promise with a dominant final four innings of the Lions' 12-1 victory over the KT Wiz in Game 5 of the Korean Series.

Paddack had pitched seven innings of one-run ball in the first game of the series and came back out to toss four perfect innings in Game 2, culminating in a rare 12-out save. He struck out Jang Sung-woo to seal the championship win, and shared the title celebration with catcher Kang Min-ho, who earned his first championship title at the age of 23. Paddack described the final strikeout as "something you dream of as a kid" and "surreal," adding that it meant a lot to him to be part of Min-ho's first championship.

Paddack started his career in the United States, pitching for the Miami Marlins, Cincinnati Reds, and Texas Rangers before moving to the KBO. He expressed that winning a Korean Series title in November was not something he could have imagined after his successful year in the United States. Paddack credited the Lions for welcoming him with open arms and expressed his hope for continued opportunities to return to the KBO in the future.