The Samsung Lions of professional baseball finished the 2025 season by delivering emotion until the end.
Samsung lost 2-11 in Game 5 of the playoffs against the Hanwha Eagles at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark on the 24th, failing to advance to the Korean Series for the second consecutive year. It was the end of a long journey that began with the wild-card game against NC Dinos and comprised 11 games.
Having once defied expectations as a lower-tier team last year to reach the Korean Series stage for the first time in nine years, Samsung was evaluated as a title contender this season. Although they once fell as low as eighth and looked unlikely to reach fall baseball, they finished fourth in the regular season with a 74-2-68 record (winning percentage .521) and returned to the autumn stage.
Samsung defeated NC Dinos in the wild-card game to advance to the preliminary playoff and completed an upset series of 3 wins and 1 loss against third-place SSG Landers. In the playoffs against Hanwha, they faced the league's strongest one-two punch of Cody Ponce and Ryan Weiss and fought a bloody battle that went to Game 5, but they could not take the final step.
Although they failed to advance to the Korean Series, the Samsung players showed fighting spirit until the end. Their stamina was depleted over the 11 games that began with the wild-card game, but they poured out their all until the final moment.
Through the autumn stage, they also confirmed hopes for the future. New fireballers emerged in Samsung's bullpen.
Rookie left-hander Bae Chan-seung pitched a full season with the first team and finished tied for first on the team with 19 holds, and right-hander Lee Ho-seong recorded a 7-4 record with 9 saves and 3 holds and a 6.34 ERA in 58 regular-season appearances. In particular, he allowed no runs in eight postseason games, establishing himself as a new face on Samsung's mound.
Free agent Choi Won-tae, nicknamed the '7 billion won FA,' went 8-7 with a 4.92 ERA in 27 appearances this season. True to his playoff nickname 'Cody Ponce,' he was brilliant in the autumn stage. He threw six perfect shutout innings in Game 1 of the preliminary playoff and gave up one run in seven innings with a strong performance in Game 2 of the playoffs. In Game 5 he left after 3 1/3 innings and five runs, but he did his part in the team's autumn journey.
The 'ace of blue blood' Won Tae-in followed up a six-inning shutout performance in Game 2 of the wild-card series with a start in Game 3 of the preliminary playoff, going 6 2/3 innings, allowing five hits, issuing two walks, striking out five and giving up one run to taste the joy of victory. He showed ace-like form.
Kim Young-woong, who again hit 20 home runs for the second consecutive year, recorded a .643 batting average (9 hits in 14 at-bats), three home runs, 12 RBIs and four runs scored through Game 4 of the playoffs, leaving an astonishing OPS of 2.135. Their growth through this autumn makes their next year even more anticipated.
Team elder Kang Min-ho guarded the home plate from Game 1 of the wild-card series through the fifth inning of Game 5 of the playoffs, showcasing ironclad stamina. Outfielder Kim Tae-hoon, last year's Futures batting champion, hit his first postseason homer against Ponce in Game 1 of the playoffs and notched a three-hit game in Game 2.
Not only they, but all players included on the postseason roster fought with their best effort.
Manager Park Jin-man said, I am fine, but the players are really drawing power from their whole bodies. A single postseason game consumes as much stamina as several regular-season games. The stress must be immense, but they are doing well. I am proud of and impressed by the players.
Samsung's 2025 season has come to an end, but their refusal to give up until the end left fans once again deeply moved.
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