KT Wiz Clinch KBO Pennant and Direct Berth in Korean Series
KT Wiz secured the best regular-season record in South Korean baseball, combining a shutout win over the Lotte Giants with a Samsung Lions defeat to claim a direct place in the Korean Series.
KT Wiz clinched the Korea Baseball Organization regular-season pennant on Monday, securing a direct berth in the Korean Series after a decisive win and a favorable result elsewhere in the league.
The Suwon-based club defeated the Lotte Giants 9-0 at KT Wiz Park, while the second-place Samsung Lions lost 7-5 to the Doosan Bears. Together, those outcomes left KT 4 1/2 games ahead of Samsung and placed first position beyond the Lions’ reach on winning percentage. KT has four regular-season games remaining, while Samsung has five.
The pennant is the second in KT Wiz history. The franchise previously finished first in 2021 after defeating Samsung in a tiebreaker, then completed that campaign by winning the Korean Series championship. This year’s first-place finish again gives KT the shortest route to the title round, a significant advantage in the KBO postseason format. Historically, regular-season pennant winners have gone on to claim the Korean Series championship about 85 percent of the time.
KT’s clinching performance left little doubt about its readiness for October baseball. The Wiz scored seven runs in the bottom of the first inning and hit three home runs during the game. Infielder Jang Jun-won supplied two of those homers, helping the hosts establish control before Lotte could settle into the contest.
On the mound, starter Logan Allen delivered eight scoreless innings and struck out 14 batters. His outing protected the early lead and ensured that KT could complete the shutout without giving the Giants a path back into the game.
The Wiz spent much of the first half among the league’s top three teams before moving into first place in August. Samsung briefly caught KT at the end of that month, but the Wiz regained sole possession of the lead on Sept. 10 and did not relinquish it.
The result rewards the consistency KT showed during the final stretch and allows the club to prepare directly for the Korean Series while lower-seeded contenders advance through earlier postseason rounds. For a franchise seeking its second championship, the pennant also brings the opportunity to repeat the pattern of its breakthrough 2021 season: finish atop the regular-season table and turn that advantage into the KBO’s ultimate prize.