A heat wave sweeping across the country has led the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) to cancel all professional baseball games for both the first and second leagues on August 5 and 6.
According to Yonhap News, the KBO office announced on August 5 that an emergency meeting will be held on August 6 with the general managers of the 10 teams and representatives from the players' association to discuss league operations and safety measures in light of the extreme heat.
Concerns about the heat intensified after an incident on August 4 at Incheon’s SSG Landers Field, where a spectator with pre-existing health conditions collapsed due to heat-related symptoms and had to be carried out on a stretcher. As a result, the KBO prioritized the safety of both fans and players, deciding to cancel games on August 5 and 6 until a comprehensive plan is established.
On August 4, the KBO had already announced guidelines for operating games during heat waves. Games would proceed normally under a heat advisory, but if a heat warning is issued, the home team could delay the start of the game by up to one hour. If a severe heat warning is in effect, with a forecasted maximum perceived temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or higher, games scheduled before 1 p.m. would be canceled.
Following these guidelines, the games between the NC Dinos and Doosan Bears at Seoul’s Jamsil Stadium and the kt wiz and KIA Tigers at Gwangju’s Kia Champions Field were the first to be canceled. This brings the total number of games canceled this year due to the heat to 15, with overall cancellations, including rainouts, reaching 40.
Yonhap News predicts that the cancellation of all games will impact the competition for playoff spots. With 67.6% of the season completed, teams vying for standings will need to reassess their strategies due to the cancellations.
Teams sending multiple players to the Asian Games next month will face additional pressure. The LG Twins, who have struggled with a record of 3 wins, 1 draw, and 12 losses in the second half, will have time to regroup, while the second-place Samsung Lions, who have also faced challenges in the heat, welcome the break.
In contrast, the fourth-place Doosan Bears, who will send Kwak Bin, Choi Min-seok, and Park Jun-soon to the Asian Games, and the fifth-place KIA Tigers, with Kim Do-young, Park Jae-hyun, and Seong Young-tak participating, are concerned about the scheduling burden due to player call-ups.
Notably, KIA has not played since their game against NC on July 31, resulting in a five-day break, which is longer than other teams, and they will need to make up for these games in September. The kt wiz, currently leading the league and sending So Hyung-jun, Oh Won-seok, and Park Young-hyun to the national team, will also need to accumulate as many wins as possible before the expected call-up on September 13.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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