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KBO's new video replays for check swings takes effect in dramatic style

Published: 21 Aug. 2025, 18:48 Updated: 21 Aug. 2025, 19:08

SSG Landers' Oh Tae-gon holds back his swing during an at-bat in the eighth inning against the KT Wiz in Suwon, Gyeonggi, on Aug. 19. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A new video replay rule for check swings officially took effect in the KBO on Tuesday during a game between the SSG Landers and KT Wiz in Suwon, Gyeonggi.

This marked the first time that check swings — whether a batter’s swing crossed the halfway point — were judged not just by the naked eye of umpires but through video replay.

Check swing calls have long been a contentious issue in the KBO. Previously, home plate, first base, or third base umpires made the call, but as broadcast technology advanced, players and coaches increasingly challenged the consistency of those calls. Disputes often erupted when slow-motion footage showed a bat failing to cross the halfway mark but still being ruled a strike, or the opposite.

The KBO initially planned to introduce the replay system next year, but moved the timeline up in response to strong demand from players and coaches. Under the new rule, if the tip of the bat passes beyond a 90-degree angle from the batter’s box, it is ruled a swing; otherwise, it is not. Each team is allowed two challenges per game, with a challenge retained if the original call is overturned.

A KBO game between the Lotte Giants and LG Twins is held at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Aug. 19. Cameras for check swing reviews are seen installed under the roofs above first and third base. [YONHAP]

On Tuesday, Suwon hosted the first implementation of the new system — and it came in a dramatic situation. In the bottom of the eighth inning, with the Wiz leading 4-1 and the Landers runners on first and second with two outs, the Landers’ Oh Tae-gon checked his swing on a forkball from Wiz pitcher Son Dong-hyun during a 2-1 count. First base umpire Na Gwang-nam ruled it a no-swing, prompting Wiz manager Lee Kang-chul to request the first-ever check swing review in KBO history.

Home plate umpire Jeon Il-soo and Na donned headsets to await the final ruling from the KBO’s video replay center. The original call stood: no swing.

Oh went on to take another ball before hitting a three-run homer on the sixth pitch, tying the game 4-4. The Wiz ultimately won with a walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth, 5-4.

Though the replay did not change the outcome of the game, it showed how video review could impact critical moments and potentially sway the course of future matchups.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KO BONG-JUN [[email protected]]