Seoul: As they strive to qualify for their first South Korean baseball postseason since 2017, the Lotte Giants are navigating the final month of the regular season with the fewest remaining games in the league. Giants manager Kim Tae-hyoung expressed uncertainty over whether this schedule will be advantageous for his team.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim Tae-hyoung commented on the situation before the Giants faced the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. He noted that the breaks between games could allow players to rest, but also acknowledged that teams with more games have more opportunities to secure wins. "It's hard to tell if this is going to help us or not," Kim remarked.
The Giants entered Seoul in fourth place with a record of 62-59-6, narrowly trailing the third-place SSG Landers in winning percentage. As the top five teams advance to the postseason, six clubs, including the Giants, are competing for the final three spots. The LG Twins and Hanwha Eagles have established a lead over their competitors.
Among the contenders, the Giants have only 17 games left, while the NC Dinos, who are 2 1/2 games out of fifth place, have 24 remaining games. This week, the Giants are scheduled to play on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, with the last three games against postseason hopefuls KT Wiz and the Landers.
Kim emphasized the importance of winning every game until the end of the season, expressing a preference for this year's lighter schedule compared to last year's. "We will just have to see how the schedule will work out for us this time," he stated.
In addition to the schedule, Kim is monitoring the recovery of injured players. Veteran outfielder/designated hitter Jeon Jun-woo, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since early August, will assess his condition on Wednesday to determine his return timeline. Infielder Jeon Min-jae, out since Aug. 20 with an oblique injury, is set to resume baseball activities and will participate in minor league rehab games before rejoining the team.