The Korean Series, which LG and Lotte are watching in advance, will flip when Lotte sweeps
May 19, 2025
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The first-place LG and the second-place Lotte will hold three consecutive games during the week at Sajik Stadium in Busan from the 20th. It is a very important showdown because it is a two-game difference in which the positions of the two teams may change depending on the results of the three consecutive games.
The two took different paths this season, but they ended up fighting in a similar position.
LG had been on the rise from the beginning, including its opening seven consecutive wins, but slowed down at the end of April, briefly losing the top spot to Hanwha and then retaking it. He is aiming to win the stepping stone with a stable starting lineup, iron wall defense, and a powerful lineup.
Lotte started at the bottom of the standings with one win and five losses and gained momentum. Based on the strongest batting average of 285, the bullpen, led by Park Se-woong and Matt Davidson, and Kim Won-joong, is also showing stability.
LG and Lotte have 10 wins and 5 losses in May, but LG is in a crisis. LG's three bullpen pitchers, including closing pitcher Jang Hyun-sik, setup man Kim Kang-ryul, and Bae Jae-joon, who became a must-win group, were injured last week. In addition, Hong Chang-ki, the team's key batter, suffered a knee injury, forcing him to leave for a long time. It is true that the power fell due to a breakaway in the two-hitter. Their absence was also revealed in the three consecutive weekend games against KT Wiz.
Lotte's mood heated up by sweeping three consecutive games against Samsung. In particular, he showed Lotte's strength by reversing the game from 0-5 until the fifth inning of the first doubleheader on the 17th, showing his strength and winning three consecutive games. On the 18th, Jeon Min-jae, who returned from a headshot injury, hit a three-run shot, further boosting the team's atmosphere.
It was actually very rare for the two teams to compete for the top spot, even the top spot. It was a team that had a lot of dark ages, and neither of them had ever been at the top of the list. Still, there was a time when we competed for first place in 2023. It is a three-game series in Jamsil that has been held since May 30, 2023. At that time, LG was in first place with 30 wins, 1 draw and 16 losses, while Lotte was in third place, two games behind with 26 wins and 16 losses. Second place was SSG Landers, who had a one-game difference with 28 wins, 1 draw and 16 losses. Compared to now, only the ranking is different, but the difference between the two games is the same. At that time, LG secured the first place by taking the winning series with 2 wins and 1 loss.
Will LG remain No. 1 again this time. Or will Lotte flip it. Although it is a three-game series held in the regular league, the burden on the two teams is inevitably different in the situation of the first- and second-place showdowns, and even a two-game race. I'm curious about the competition between LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop and Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
