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KBO-worst Heroes mull promoting interim manager to full-time role: Sources

Published: 23 Sep. 2025, 16:12

This photo shows Kiwoom Heroes interim manager Seol Jong-jin during his first meeting with the club at Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul on July 15. [YONHAP]

In their search for a new manager, the Kiwoom Heroes may end up promoting interim skipper Seol Jong-jin to the full-time role for the new season, sources said Tuesday.

The Heroes are high on Seol's success in stabilizing the club in the second half of the KBO season after a dismal first half cost former manager Hong Won-ki his job in July, according to the sources.

The Heroes are still in last place in the 10-team KBO with a 47-88-4 (wins-losses-ties) record with five games to play. They were the league-worst 27-61-3 entering the All-Star break, a winning percentage of .307.

On Seol's watch, the Heroes have gone 20-27-1, good for eighth in the league since the midseason break.

They also have the third-highest winning percentage in September at 7-5-0 and have played the role of spoiler against clubs vying for postseason berths.

Since the start of August, the Heroes have the highest batting average with runners in scoring position at .299 — an impressive turnaround for a team that ranked last in that department through the end of July at .240. And they have done most of the damage without their foreign hitter Ruben Cardenas, who was ruled out for the season in September with a broken finger but hadn't produced much when he was healthy.

Seol had been the Heroes' minor league manager before being named interim manager for the KBO squad, and the Heroes management believes Seol's familiarity with many of the team's young players has been an important asset in the latter part of the season.

The Heroes are expected to name their new manager either by late September or early October.

Yonhap