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KBO teams and closers duke it out for first in tight race

Published: 17 Jul. 2025, 15:33 Updated: 17 Jul. 2025, 16:57

KT Wiz pitcher Park Yeong-hyun pitches during a KBO game against the Kia Tigers at Suwon KT Wiz Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi, on May 21. [NEWS1]

KBO teams are competing neck and neck at the midway point of the 2025 season, with tight standings and fierce bullpen battles leaving little room for error.

The Hanwha Eagles and LG Twins are battling for first place, with the Lotte Giants and Kia Tigers close behind in pursuit.

The fight for fifth place is even more intense.

The KT Wiz sits in fifth, with the SSG Landers in sixth and NC Dinos in seventh as of press time on Thursday. Only one game separates the Wiz and Landers.

One misstep can send a team down the standings, while a winning streak can quickly push it into postseason position.

That same volatility defines the race for the league’s top closer.

Closers are battling for the save title in what many consider the most competitive race in years.

Park Yeong-hyun of the Wiz leads the league at the break with 26 saves in 43 appearances.

The 21-year-old joined the Wiz in 2022 and became the team’s full-time closer. He has accelerated his pace this year and is now eyeing his first save title.

Park could become just the fourth pitcher in KBO history to win both the holds and saves titles, joining Cho Woong-cheon, Jung Jae-hoon and Jung Woo-ram.

Kim Won-jung of the Giants follows with 24 saves and continues to set franchise records.

Lotte Giants Kim Won-jung pitches during a KBO game against the Kia Tigers at the Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on July 6. [YONHAP]

He became the first player in club history to reach 100 career saves in 2023, before adding his 150th on June 18 in a game against the Eagles, also a first for the club.

After joining Lotte in 2012, Kim struggled to make an impact as a starter but turned his career around after converting to a reliever in 2020.

He has since posted double-digit saves for six consecutive seasons, but the save title has remained out of reach despite his consistent form.

Jung Hai-young of the Tigers has 23 saves and has been a driving force behind the team’s midseason turnaround.

Kia Tigers pitcher Jung Hai-young pitches during a KBO game against the Hanwha Eagles at the Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on June 8. [YONHAP]

He made six saves in 13 games in June and added three more in four appearances in July.

With Jung closing games, the Tigers jumped from seventh to fourth in the standings.

The 23-year-old led the league with 31 saves last season and now aims to become the first pitcher to win back-to-back save titles since Son Seung-lak accomplished the feat in 2014 and 2015.

While Park, Kim and Jung have played two to six years as closers, Kim Seo-hyeon is a first-year closer — and the youngest among the top contenders.

But the 21-year-old has already earned 22 saves and doesn’t pitch like a rookie.

Confident on the mound, he has helped steady the Eagles' bullpen and proven himself in high-pressure moments.

Kim’s biggest weapon is his velocity.

His fastball averages 151 kilometers per hour (93 miles per hour), with him clocking in at 160.5 kilometers per hour against the Tigers on May 4.

He began the season as a setup man, but stepped into the closer role after Joo Hyun-sang struggled. Despite a late start, he reached the 20-save mark.

If the Eagles stay in the postseason mix, Kim is expected to see more save opportunities — positioning him as a potential disrupter in the tight race for the crown.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KO BONG-JUN [[email protected]]