In brief
The Kia Tigers were eliminated from the KBO playoffs when Samsung Lions defeated them 6‑1 in Game 5 of the second round on Sunday in Daegu. Manager Lee Bum‑ho, who won the Korean Series in his first year and has never lost a playoff series, pledged to identify weaknesses and improve the young roster for 2027. Samsung’s pitcher Ariel Jurado earned the series MVP and the Lions will face KT Wiz in the Korean Series.
The Seoul‑based Kia Tigers were eliminated from the Korea Baseball Organization postseason when the Samsung Lions beat them 6‑1 in Game 5 of the best‑of‑five second‑round series on Sunday, November 1, at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu.
Lee Bum‑ho, who led the Tigers to a Korean Series title in his first year in charge, is the first Kia manager to lose a post‑season series in his three‑year tenure.
The Tigers began the playoff run by sweeping the 2025 champions LG Twins in the first round. They won a decisive Game 4 before dropping the next two games, forcing a final Game 5, where a rough outing from starter Adam Oller, who was 4‑run in two innings, proved decisive.
In his post‑game comments, Lee said, “It has been a long postseason and I want to thank my players for their hard work.” He added that the team’s performance was good but that they “will try to come back stronger next year so that we can contend for the title.”
Lee also highlighted that “after this postseason loss, we need to identify where we need to get better” and that the staff must “see more from our young players going forward to accomplish bigger things next season.” He described the eight‑game stretch as a valuable learning experience and said he will “go back to the drawing board” to improve next year.
Meanwhile, Samsung’s right‑hander Ariel Jurado turned in a stellar outing, five‑hit, seven‑inning performance that earned him the series MVP and secured the Lions’ ticket to face the regular‑season champions KT Wiz in the Korean Series on Tuesday in Suwon.
While the Tigers’ loss ends their postseason run, Lee’s remarks focus entirely on lessons learned; no additional lineup or strategic changes have been confirmed.
There is no publicly released information on any upcoming roster moves or tactical adjustments for the Tigers’ 2027 campaign, so those details remain unconfirmed at this time.
