In brief
With KT Wiz down 2‑1 to the Samsung Lions in the Korean Series, manager Lee Kang‑chul urged star hitter Ahn Hyun‑min to get on base more often, citing his low on‑base percentage in the postseason. Lee shuffled the lineup, moving Ahn to the second spot and adding veteran Kim Hyun‑soo and Jang Jin‑hyuk to support the offense. The Wiz aim to shift momentum in Game 4 at Daegu Samsung Lions Park.
On Saturday in Daegu, the KT Wiz trailed the Samsung Lions 2‑1 in the best‑of‑seven Korean Series, and manager Lee Kang‑chul called into focus the team’s offensive lurch, demanding more from star slugger Ahn Hyun‑min. The veteran player's sluggish performance – just 2‑for‑13 with four strikeouts and two walks – prompted Lee to rattle the lineup in hopes of spurring a run burst.
Ahn won the 2025 Rookie of the Year award after slashing 22 homers and driving in 80 runs, while posting an on‑base percentage of .448—league‑leading that year. In 2026, despite injuries that limited his playing time, he still managed 14 home runs across 94 games and maintained a respectable .440+ on‑base line for the regular season.
Within the Series, his numbers have dropped sharply, with an on‑base percentage of only .267. The WK’s struggles have been highlighted by the fact that the team, whose regular‑season RBI leader Sam Hilliard has already recorded 139 RBIs, has not been able to translate that power into Series hits. Hilliard has 139 RBIs in the season and currently the team’s leading batter with three RBIs in the Series, yet the offense has been stymied because Ahn leaves the plate frequently without reaching base.
Lee stressed that “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,” according to a statement released before Game 4. The manager noted that the last night’s six‑hit effort still resulted in a 5‑1 loss, showing the need for a more productive lineup.
"Because Hyun‑min is not reaching base much, our offense has lacked flow. We had seven hits last night and still lost (5‑1)."
After placing Ahn in the No. 3 spot right in front of Hilliard for the first two games, Lee moved veteran Kim Hyun‑soo from No. 5 to No. 3 for Friday’s match while slotting Ahn into the second spot. When those adjustments failed to revive run production, Lee reverted to the traditional Ahn‑Hilliard‑Kim trio for the middle of the order.
To supplement the lineup, the manager introduced outfielder Jang Jin‑hyuk into the No. 2 spot. The newcomer has gone 2‑for‑2 in limited Series action, and Lee hopes his blooper at the top of the order will spark the slugging trio behind him.
"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," Lee said.
Lee’s remarks came as the Wiz looked to overturn the deficit, with Jang’s potential contact giving the older power hitters a better chance to bring in runs. The manager emphasized that a shift in momentum would reshape the Series, offering his team a say of the contest’s outcome.
With the Series poised to resume Saturday afternoon, the campus of Daegu Samsung Lions Park remains a crucible where lineup decisions could tilt the balance. As the Wiz cling to a one‐game advantage in the Series, every at‑bat from Ahn Hyun‑min will carry intensified scrutiny, while the coach’s hope for Jang Jin‑hyuk’s timely hits becomes a key storyline for the rest of the match.
