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Red-hot Giants looking to stretch season-best winning streak in KBO

Published: 28 Jul. 2025, 12:16

Jeon Jun-woo of the Lotte Giants hits a ball during the Giants' game against LG Twins at Jamsil Stadium in Songpa District, southern Seoul, on July 20. [NEWS1]

In hot pursuit of their first postseason berth in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) since 2017, the Lotte Giants will try to extend their season-best winning streak with games against teams in the bottom third of the standings this week.

The Giants have won five straight, highlighted by a three-game weekend sweep of the reeling defending champions, Kia Tigers, at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan.

The run has pushed the Giants' record to 53-42-3 (wins-losses-ties), keeping them firmly in third place behind the Hanwha Eagles (57-36-3) and the LG Twins (55-40-2). Those top three teams have opened some gap between themselves and the rest of the pack, with the fourth-place KT Wiz (50-45-3) sitting three games back of the Giants.

The Giants will stay at Sajik to open the new week with a Tuesday to Thursday series against the eighth-place NC Dinos (43-44-5).

The Dinos have the second-longest active winning streak in the KBO at three games, thanks to their sweep of the last-place Kiwoom Heroes (28-67-3). The Dinos flexed their muscle by putting up 36 runs in those three victories.

For the weekend, the Giants will visit Seoul for three games against the Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome. These two clubs met at Gocheok just last week, with the Giants taking two out of three.

Doosan Bears players high-five their teammates and coaches after beating the LG Twins 9-6 in the clubs' Korea Baseball Organization regular-season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on July 27. [YONHAP]

The Wiz, having battled their way into the top four, will open their week with three games against the Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in the capital city and then visit the Dinos to wrap up the weekend at Changwon NC Park in the southeastern town of Changwon.

After the Wiz, three clubs are tied for fifth place: the Tigers (46-46-3), the Samsung Lions (47-47-1) and the SSG Landers (46-46-3).

The Dinos are right on their heels, sitting a half game back.

The Tigers have dropped six straight games and nine of their past 10. They are in danger of falling out of the top five after clawing their way up to second place about three weeks ago.

The Tigers have a six-game homestand this week at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, but they will be up against tough foes: the Doosan Bears, who own the third-best record in July at 9-7-1, and the Eagles, the best team so far in July at 12-4-2.

The Lions also have a challenging week ahead, as they face the Eagles and the Twins.

The Landers will get the Heroes at home and then the Bears on the road this week.

Yonhap