KT Wiz surge to top of KBO standings as LG Twins struggle
The KT Wiz have emerged as the hottest team in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), winning seven straight games to climb into second place and position themselves for a run at the top spot, according to Yonhap News. The Wiz, who were in third place before the All-Star break, swept the LG Twins in a four-game series immediately after the hiatus and now hold a 51-35-1 record, two games behind the league-leading Samsung Lions (53-33-2).
The Wiz last held sole possession of first place on May 17. Their recent surge has been powered by strong pitching and timely hitting, with the team posting the KBO's best ERA since the start of their winning streak. Sam Hilliard, a first-year American outfielder, has been a key contributor, smacking 24 home runs since May 1, the second-highest total in that span.
The LG Twins, the 2025 Korean Series champions, have stumbled badly after opening July in first place. They have dropped 11 of 16 games in July, including a season-worst five-game losing streak, and now trail the Lions by five games. The Twins' pitching staff has been hit hard, posting the worst ERA in the league at 6.24 during the month. The team is awaiting the arrival of new starter Carlos Carrasco, a 112-game winner in the majors who signed with the club last Wednesday.
The Samsung Lions, who have won eight of their last 10 games, continue to lead the league despite the Wiz's charge. The Lions will spend the upcoming week in Seoul, facing last-place Kiwoom Heroes and the Doosan Bears.
The Kia Tigers, in fourth place at 48-40-2, have won three straight and are within 3 1/2 games of the Twins, hoping to apply more pressure on the defending champions. However, they have fallen to fifth after a recent slide, according to later reports.
In other news, Hanwha Eagles' top slugger Kang Baek-ho has been sidelined with a left oblique injury. The Eagles said they will remove Kang from the active roster and will reevaluate him at a later date, with no timeline set for his return. Kang leads the KBO with 86 RBIs and is tied for third with 23 home runs.