Sports · Baseball · 1 hr ago
KIA and LG name lineups for Korean baseball playoff opener
The KIA Tigers and LG Twins open their semifinal series on October 17 at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field.
The best-of-five series is part of South Korea’s KBO baseball playoffs, and the winner advances to the playoffs’ next round.
KIA finished third in the regular season and had four days off, while fourth-place LG advanced by beating Doosan in one wild-card game.
James Naile starts for KIA, and Anders Tolhurst starts for LG.
LG’s Oh Ji-hwan returns at shortstop, while Shin Min-jae is left out of the starting lineup after a hamstring injury in the wild-card game.
KIA manager Lee Beom-ho said his team’s first five hitters could decide the game and pointed to the importance of a strong start at the plate.
The first-game winner has advanced 12 times in 17 previous best-of-five semifinals, a record that gives the opener added importance; the series winner moves on to face the next opponent.
KIA Tigers and LG Twins named their lineups for Game 1 of the 2026 KBO semi-playoff on October 17.
The best-of-five game is scheduled at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field, with KIA starting James Naile and LG starting Anders Tolhurst.
LG restored shortstop Oh Ji-hwan to its starting lineup and left injured Shin Min-jae out.
KIA manager Lee Beom-ho said the performance of his top five batters could decide the game.
KIA finished the regular season third, while LG finished fourth and advanced by beating Doosan in the wild-card round.
- Who
- KIA Tigers and LG Twins.
- What
- They announced their starting lineups and starting pitchers for Game 1 of the KBO semi-playoff.
- When
- October 17, 2026. The game was scheduled for 2 p.m. local time.
- Where
- Gwangju-KIA Champions Field in Gwangju, South Korea.
- Why
- The teams were preparing for the opening game of their best-of-five semi-playoff series.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
KIA played its regular-season finale against LG and then had four days off before the semi-playoff opener.
LG beat Doosan 4-1 in the wild-card game to advance to the semi-playoff.
KIA and LG were scheduled to play Game 1 of the semi-playoff at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field.
- Series format
- Best of five; first team to win three games advances
- KIA starting pitcher
- James Naile
- LG starting pitcher
- Anders Tolhurst
- LG lineup change
- Oh Ji-hwan returned at shortstop; Shin Min-jae was omitted after a hamstring injury
- KIA regular-season finish
- Third place
- LG regular-season finish
- Fourth place
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What people are saying
I think the outcome will depend on how the No. 1 to No. 5 hitters hit.
The No. 1 and No. 2 hitters are the most important, so I set the lineup with players who can work through the game precisely.
I thought it was right to start James Naile in Game 1 of the semi-playoff because he has experience in big games in Korean baseball.