In brief
With KT Wiz down 2‑1 in the Korean Series, manager Lee Kang‑chul is seeking a resurgence from slugger Ahn Hyun‑min whose batting average and on‑base percentage have collapsed in the postseason. Lee has shuffled the batting order, moving veteran Kim Hyun‑soo to the third spot and bringing in Jang Jin‑hyuk as a new second hitter, hoping to give regular‑season RBI leader Sam Hilliard more opportunities to drive in runs. The moves reflect the team’s need for higher run production against the Samsung Lions.
With the KT Wiz trailing the Samsung Lions 2‑1 in the best‑of‑seven Korean Series, manager Lee Kang‑chul has issued a call for increased offensive output from his All‑Star slugger Ahn Hyun‑min as the team pushes into Game 4.
After three series games, Ahn is 2‑for‑13 at the plate, with four strikeouts and two walks, and a .267 on‑base percentage that pales compared with his .448 on‑base mark in the 2025 season, when he was named Rookie of the Year. Despite a season slowed by injuries, he climbed the leaderboard with 14 homers in 94 games this year.
"Hilliard is in great form, but we need Hyun‑min to get on base more often in front of him to give him RBI opportunities," Lee said before Game 4 at Daegu Samsung Lions Park.
"Because Hyun‑min is not reaching base much, our offense has lacked flow. We had seven hits last night and still lost (5‑1)."
Earlier in the series, Lee placed Ahn in the third spot directly ahead of Sam Hilliard, who leads the league with 139 RBIs a season. When that change failed to spark the desired run production, he moved veteran Kim Hyun‑soo from the fifth spot to the third for Friday’s game, slotting Ahn into the second position. Those adjustments backfired, so Lee restored the original Ahn‑Hilliard‑Kim lineup for the middle of the order.
To inject fresh energy into the lineup, Lee has promoted outfielder Jang Jin‑hyuk to the new second spot; the 23‑year‑old has gone 2‑for‑2 in a limited role during the series. Lee expressed confidence that “Jang will get on base for the big bats behind him, and we can score more runs that way.”
Sam Hilliard, the regular‑season RBI leader, has already demonstrated his productivity in the postseason, with three RBIs in the series so far. Lee and the coaching staff maintain that a powerful hitter in front of him would create more scoring opportunities against the seven‑man pitching rotation of the Samsung Lions.
Faced with the tactical challenge of line‑up manipulation, the KT Wiz are focused on converting their offensive potential into runs. Lee emphasized that “This is a really critical game for us. If we win tonight, then the momentum will shift, and it will be a brand new series for us.”
In the context of the Korean Series, the KBO’s championship battles often hinge on the interplay between batting order configuration and individual player resilience. With the skyline of Daegu brightening for the Game 4 venue, the focus remains on whether a shift in lineup dynamics can reverse the series’ current trajectory.
Regardless of the adjustments, the KT Wiz’s path to a series win will hinge on tightening their offensive output and capitalizing on the opportunities created by the new lineup. The Samsung Lions, meanwhile, will defend their advantage, holding onto the lead that positions them one win away from securing the KBO title.
