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KBO's top 2 teams set for final meeting before break

Published: 10 Jun. 2025, 13:44

LG Twins pitcher Song Seung-ki pitches during a KBO game against the Doosan Bears at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in southern Seoul on May 5. [YONHAP]

The top two clubs in the Korean baseball standings will clash this weekend for the final time before the midseason break.

The LG Twins, in first place in the KBO with a record of 38-25-1 (wins-losses-ties), will visit the Hanwha Eagles (37-27-0) for three games starting Friday at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark in Daejeon.

The gap between the two rivals is 1 1/2 games, and depending on how they fare in midweek games, first place could be at stake during their weekend meeting.

The Twins will begin the week by playing the SSG Landers for three games at home, Jamsil Baseball Stadium in southern Seoul. The Eagles will bring home the Doosan Bears for their Tuesday-Thursday series.

So far this season, the Twins have won five out of eight games against the Eagles. After this weekend, they won't face each other again until Aug. 8-10, about a month after the annual All-Star break.

The Twins and the Eagles are also first and second in the KBO in starting pitching ERA, with 3.38 and 3.46, respectively. And barring any rainouts this week, two of the league's best starters will go up against each other Saturday.

For the Eagles, it will be right-hander Cody Ponce, who leads the KBO with nine wins, 119 strikeouts and a 2.20 ERA. The Twins will counter with left-hander Song Seung-ki, who is 7-3 with a 2.30 ERA, the lowest mark by a Korean pitcher this season.

Ponce first faced the Twins on May 28, when he gave up four runs on six hits in seven innings in a no-decision. It was Ponce's worst outing in more than a month.

Song is 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA in two starts against the Eagles this season. He held them to one hit over seven shutout innings in his season debut March 27, but gave up three runs in five innings in a loss April 29.

The Twins and the Eagles will also try to become the first team to 40 wins in the league this season. According to the KBO, the first team to reach 40 wins has gone on to take the regular-season crown about 63 percent of the time.

Yonhap