Overview
- Hanwha posted a 49-33-2 record to finish the first half with a 3½-game lead over the LG Twins and Lotte Giants, clinching the top spot for the first time since 1992.
- The Eagles rotation leads the league with a 3.35 ERA and 508 strikeouts, highlighted by Ryan Weiss’s six shutout innings and Cody Ponce’s one-run, 11-strikeout outing.
- Since June 18 the Kia Tigers have gone 10-4-2 for a .714 winning percentage and have led the KBO with 31 home runs, a .279 batting average and a .792 OPS since June 1.
- A three-game series at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark begins Tuesday, pitting Hanwha’s dominant arms against Kia’s red-hot lineup before the All-Star break.
- First-half standings will lock in postseason positioning and signal a shift in the league’s competitive balance as teams pause for the All-Star break.