The KT Wiz and Samsung Lions will face off in Game 1 of the Korean Series (KS), featuring starting pitchers Davis Daniel and Choi Won-tae. The series, a best-of-seven format, has a 73.8% championship probability for the team that wins the first game. KT is banking on Daniel, who did not pitch against Samsung during the regular season, while Samsung is relying on Choi, who excelled last fall.
The 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO postseason KS begins at 6:30 p.m. on November 3 at Suwon KT Wiz Park. Games 1 and 2 (November 3-4) and Games 6 and 7 (November 10-11) will be held in Suwon, while Games 3 to 5 (November 6-8) will take place at Daegu Samsung Lions Park. This marks the first time these two teams have met in the postseason.
KT, which finished first in the regular season, is seeking its first combined championship (regular season and KS) since 2021. Samsung, the second-place team, advanced to the KS after defeating the KIA Tigers 3-2 in the playoffs, aiming for its first title in 12 years since 2014.
Game 1 is crucial; historically, the team that wins the first game has gone on to win the championship 31 out of 42 times, translating to a 73.8% success rate.
KT manager Lee Kang-cheol and Samsung manager Park Jin-man announced Daniel and Choi as their starting pitchers during a media day held at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Suwon on November 2.
Daniel was acquired by KT on July 30 as a replacement for Matt Sauer. He pitched 55 innings over 10 regular-season games, achieving a record of 5 wins and 2 losses with a 2.13 ERA. At home in Suwon, he has an impressive 1.16 ERA over five games.
KT opted to save Daniel for the KS, having started Song Hyung-jun in the final regular-season game against Samsung on October 12. Manager Lee explained, "I considered using Daniel in the last game against Samsung, but I decided it was better not to show him at all. I planned to use him in the Korean Series regardless of which team advanced." Lee hopes Daniel can replicate the performance of William Cuevas from five years ago. In 2021, after finishing the regular season with the same record as Samsung, KT won a decisive game in Daegu 1-0 on October 31, with Cuevas pitching seven innings of one-hit, scoreless ball. Cuevas also won Game 1 of the KS that year, allowing just one run over 7⅔ innings, leading KT to its first combined championship.
Samsung has limited options after using foreign pitchers Chris Paddack and Ariel Hurado in the playoffs. With Kim Jae-yoon injured, Choi will also be available in the bullpen for Games 1 and 2 of the KS.
This season, Choi pitched 125 innings over 24 regular-season games, recording 7 wins and 5 losses with a 4.68 ERA. Against KT, he has struggled, allowing 9 runs in 11⅔ innings over two games, resulting in a 6.94 ERA. He faced challenges in the playoffs as well, allowing 2 runs in just 1⅔ innings during Game 3 against KIA on October 29. However, he only threw 38 pitches, so his stamina should not be significantly affected.
Choi performed well last fall, posting a 2.20 ERA over four playoff games with a record of 2 wins and 1 loss. Although he struggled in Game 5, allowing 5 runs in 3⅓ innings, he had previously allowed just 1 run over 13 innings in the two games before that.
Manager Park is counting on Choi's experience, stating, "While Won-tae has been in the bullpen, he is set to start. He struggled a bit in the playoffs, but he has a lot of experience and has been a consistent starter. I hope he can show the same form he had last fall."
Both managers expressed their determination for the championship. Manager Lee said, "I’m grateful that the playoffs went to five games. Regardless of who we face, it’s a matchup between a rising powerhouse and a traditional stronghold. We aim to play well and win alongside the citizens of Suwon."
Manager Park added, "It would have been nice to win in Game 4 of the playoffs, but we didn’t. Still, we won the final game to get here. To overcome a solid team like KT, we need to carry the positive momentum from the playoffs."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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