In brief
With KT Wiz trailing the Samsung Lions 2‑1 in the best‑of‑seven Korean Series, manager Lee Kang‑chul admonished star slugger Ahn Hyun‑min after a slump, citing a .267 on‑base percentage. Lee shuffled the lineup in hopes of generating runs, positioning Ahn forward of RBI leader Sam Hilliard, and adding outfielder Jang Jin‑hyuk at the top of the order. Ahn’s postseason pace—2‑for‑13 with four strikeouts—raises concerns amid a season where he hit 14 homers in 94 games.
With the KT Wiz down 2‑1 to the Samsung Lions in the best‑of‑seven Korean Series, manager Lee Kang‑chul confronted star slugger Ahn Hyun‑min on Saturday, demanding more from the player who has struggled in the postseason.
Ahn finished the first three games of the series 2‑for‑13, recording four strikeouts and two walks, and his on‑base percentage fell to .267. That slump contrasts with his .448 OBP in 2025 and .440 in the current season, when he hit 14 homers in 94 games and racked up 80 RBI.
Lineup shuffle
Lee initially placed Ahn in the third spot, directly ahead of Sam Hilliard, the regular‑season RBI leader who had 139 RBIs last year and was adding three in the Series. When the lineup did not spark, Lee moved veteran Kim Hyun‑soo to the third spot and bumped Ahn to the second spot for Friday’s game, adding outfielder Jang Jin‑hyuk to the top of the order after the latter went 2‑for‑2 in his limited role.
"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)."
Lee emphasized that Game 4 was critical: if the Wiz could turn the deficit into a victory, momentum could shift and the Series could be reset. He summed up his hope that the newly structured order would produce more runs, with Jang crafting opportunities for the big bats behind him.
