Five people are released, Samsung's generational change is accelerated, and the legendary 418 home run hitter will be separated from him. Whether to extend his active role or retire with Oh Jae-il

Oct 29, 2025

The Samsung Lions and Kiwoom Heroes match held at Daegu Lions Park on the 25th. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Samsung Diaz hit a timely hit, setting a new record for the most RBIs (147 RBIs) in a single season. Park Byung-ho and Diaz are hugging each other during the defensive shift. Daegu=Park Jae-man Reporter pjm@sportschosun.com /2025.09.25/

The Samsung Lions have turned away from the threshold of advancing to the Korean Series for the second consecutive year.

He is already aiming for the 2026 season. The goal is to win the Korean Series.

They are moving quickly to achieve their goals. a step forward to fill. First, I went out to empty it.

Samsung officially announced the termination of its contracts with pitcher Song Eun-beom and infielder Kang Han-ul on the 28th. Infielder Oh Hyun-seok and outfielder Kim Tae-geun also released Seoul to reorganize them.

Lotte and Samsung at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 16th, and Samsung's Park Byung-ho is striking out in the bottom of the 5th inning. Daegu=Reporter Huh Sang-wook's wook@sportschosun.com/2025.09.16/

Samsung is also preparing to break up with a big hitter.

This is Park Byung-ho (39) who is a big shot among the Korean people. A living legend who ranks fourth with 418 home runs in all time.

Park Byung-ho will become an FA at the end of this season. Samsung has set an internal policy of giving up Park Byung-ho's contract as a free agent and letting go of his grip.

If Park wants to extend his career, he will have to look for a team other than Samsung.

If a player decides to retire, he plans to support a change of leadership so that he can utilize his career and leadership in the field. As for Park, who is struggling, chances are high that he will choose to extend his active duty through the free agent market.

A match between Samsung and Hanwha in Game 5 of the PO held at Hanwha Life Ball Park in Daejeon on the 24th, and Park Byung-ho as a pinch hitter in the top of the 6th inning = Reporter wook@sportschosun.com/2025.10.24/

Park had a batting average of 0.199 with 15 homers and 33 RBIs in 77 games this season. His slugging percentage was 0.454 and his on-base percentage was 0.315. He showed off his rusty power compared to the number of games he played.

Park Byung-ho, who transferred from KT Wiz to Samsung in a trade with Oh Jae-il last season, hit only 0.231 in 120 games, but he helped Samsung rank second in the season and advance to the Korean Series with 23 home runs and 70 RBIs. In particular, he scored 14 home runs and 44 RBIs in Daegu, his home ground, to give more strength to the batters. However, this season left a slightly disappointing result due to a sharp drop in opportunities to play.

Park Byung-ho, who received attention as a slugger of great power in Seongnam High School, wore the LG Twins uniform as his first nomination in 2005.

He was traded to the Nexen Heroes in 2011 after rarely hitting the poten when he was in LG. In 2012, a year after the trade, Park Byung-ho opened his heyday by surpassing 30 home runs. In 2014 and 2015, he surpassed 50 home runs for two consecutive years, establishing himself as a national slugger representing the league. It is the only record in KBO history to surpass 50 home runs for two consecutive seasons. He is also the only one to surpass 50 home runs twice, along with Samsung's Lee Seung-yeop. Choi Jeong-do of SSG, who holds the record for the most home runs in his career, failed to reach the 50 home runs mark. Park set a new career RBI record with 146 RBIs in 2015.

Park Byung-ho was the record holder for the most RBIs in a season before his teammate Lewin Diaz surpassed 50 home runs and 150 RBIs (50 home runs and 158 RBIs) for the first time in history this season.

Park Byung-ho marked a milestone in the history of KBO league home run hitters with a batting average of 0.272, 418 homers, 1244 RBIs, 0.538 slugging percentage and a 0.376 on-base percentage in 1,767 games.

The first round of semi-PO Samsung-SSG held at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 9th. Samsung's Park Byung-ho is training before the game. Incheon = Reporter Jeong Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.10.9/

The second semi-PO game between LG and KT at Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 6th. KT Oh Jae-il played as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning. Jamsil = Song Jeong-heon Reporter's songs@sportschosun.com/2024.10.06/

Oh Jae-il, a left-handed slugger who wore KT's uniform as a trade-off with Park Byung-ho last season, announced his retirement from active duty after the end of the season.

What will be the final choice for Park Byung-ho at the crossroads of the extension of his active career. It is highly likely to leave Samsung and seek an active extension through the FA market. Rumors of Kiwoom Heroes' comeback in their heyday have circulated, but it has proved to be a groundless rumor at the moment.

Park Byung-ho, who is about to become the third free agent, is in Grade C and is not burdened by the transfer. This season's annual salary was 380 million won.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.