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Four KBO managers face uncertain futures as season approaches its end

Published: 25 Sep. 2025, 10:32 Updated: 25 Sep. 2025, 20:17

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]

Four managers in the KBO face uncertain futures heading into the 2026 season.

Two of them are interim leaders who stepped in midyear: Cho Sung-hwan of the Doosan Bears and Seol Jong-jin of the Kiwoom Heroes. The others are Yeom Kyung-yeop of the LG Twins and Park Jin-man of the Samsung Lions. As teams fight for the last postseason spots, front offices are weighing contract decisions behind the scenes.

The Doosan Bears were the first team to change managers this season. Manager Lee Seung-yuop, 49, stepped down in June, citing poor performance. Lee, who had led the Bears to the Wild Card game in his debut season in 2023 and reached the postseason again this year, faced criticism after two straight early exits from the Wild Card round.

The Bears accepted Lee’s resignation and immediately appointed Cho as interim manager. Known for his leadership, Cho energized the team by boldly using younger players.

Still, he was unable to lift the team out of ninth place as the season draws to a close. Under Lee, the Bears recorded 23 wins, 3 draws and 32 losses, while under Cho, they went 35-3-43. Without a dramatic turnaround, it remains unclear whether Cho will be offered the job permanently. The club plans to finalize its decision after the season by narrowing down candidates, including Cho.

Doosan Bears manager Lee Seung-yuop looks on during a KBO game against the Kia Tigers at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on May 18. [YONHAP]

The Heroes, who have finished last for three straight years, dismissed manager Hong Won-ki, 52, in July and appointed Seol Jong-jin, then manager of the second team, as interim. Seol has shown progress in terms of performance, improving the team's win percentage from 0.237 to 0.417. With Seol emerging as a strong candidate for the permanent role, the club plans to name a new manager by early October at the latest.

Yeom Kyung-yeop, who led LG to a championship in 2023 and has them at the top of the standings again this year, is widely expected to sign a new contract. His current three-year deal worth 2.1 billion won ($1.5 million) ends this year. With the SSG Landers recently re-signing manager Lee Soong-yong, 54, to a three-year, 1.8-billion-won deal ahead of the postseason, speculation is mounting that LG will follow suit with Yeom.

The Lions’ Park Jin-man, who shed the “rookie manager” label after three years, faces a pivotal postseason. Unlike last year, when the Lions reached the Korean Series via the playoffs, they are likely to start this year’s postseason from the Wild Card round. His chances of renewal may depend on how far the team advances this fall.

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]]