Conor Liguori – World Baseball Network | October 24, 2025, 2:45 p.m. EDT
The Korea Baseball Organization’s LG Twins and Hanwha Eagles will face off in this year’s Korea Series. The Twins will host the first game of the best-of-seven championship round on Sunday at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, South Korea.
As the finishers with the best regular season record (85-56-3), the Twins received an automatic bye to the Korean Series. They played their last game more than three weeks ago, a 7-3 loss to the NC Dinos. According to a Chosun Daily report published Friday, the 30-man Korea Series roster includes 14 pitchers and 16 position players. They have won three titles in franchise history, most recently winning the top prize two years ago in five matches against the KT Wiz.
One of the players included in the Twins’ roster will be first baseman Austin Dean, who finished fifth in the league with 31 home runs. According to Chosun Daily, the foreign player’s availability was in doubt due to the recent birth of his second daughter. Dean, who first signed with the Twins in 2023, decided to skip paternity leave to prepare for the Korean Series.
On the mound, starters Yonny Chirinos and Im Chan-kyu lead the way for the Twins. Chirinos made 30 starts in 2025, posting a respectable 3.31 ERA with just five home runs allowed. Im, a first-round draft pick of the Twins in 2011, finished seventh among KBO pitching leaders with a 3.03 ERA in 27 starts during the regular season.
The Eagles are returning to the Korean Series for the first time since 2006. However, the last championship they won was 26 years ago, a five-game win over the Lotte Giants in 1999. Hanwha finished with the second-best record in the regular season (83-57-4) and beat the Samsung Lions 11-2 on Friday in the deciding game of the best-of-five playoff round.
At just 24 years old, cornerback Roh Si-hwan is a rising star for the Eagles. He led the team with 32 home runs and was 4-for-5 with an RBI Friday against the Lions. Roh should be the Twins’ top priority in scouting reports heading into Sunday’s opener.
Starting pitcher Cody Ponce had a supernatural first season in South Korea with the Eagles, winning the pitching Triple Crown with 17 wins, a 1.89 ERA and a KBO record 252 strikeouts. The right-hander pitched five scoreless innings in Friday’s playoff game, recording nine strikeouts with five hits allowed and two walks. Eagles reliever Moon Dong-ju was awarded playoff MVP for pitching six total scoreless innings between Games 1 and 3. Manager Kim Kyung-moon told reporters that Hanwha could use Moon as a starter in the Korean Series.
This is the first time the Eagles and Twins have met in the Korean Series. The Eagles’ 1999 championship is their only title in franchise history, and before 2023, the Twins last won in 1994 and 1990.
Korean series schedule 2025
The format of the Korean series is 2-3-2. The Twins will begin the series with home-field advantage at Jamsil Ballpark. The Eagles play their home games at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark in Daejeon.
Game 1
Sunday, October 26 – 1 a.m. EDT at Jamsil Baseball Stadium
Game 2
Monday, October 27 – 5:30 a.m. EDT at Jamsil Baseball Stadium
Game 3
Wednesday, October 29 – 5:30 a.m. EDT at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark
Game 4
Thursday, October 30 – 5:30 a.m. EDT at Daejoen Hanwha Life Ballpark
Game 5
Friday, October 31 – 5:30 a.m. EDT at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark
Game 6
Sunday, November 2 – 1 a.m. EDT at Jamsil Baseball Stadium
Game 7
Monday, November 3 – 4:30 a.m. EDT at Jamsil Baseball Stadium
Where to watch – Fans can stream the KBO 2025 season on the SOOP service. The KBO’s official YouTube page also posts game highlights and clips from other events, such as the All-Star Game and Golden Glove awards.
WBN KBO – https://worldbaseball.com/league/south-korea/korea-baseball-organization/
Photo: LG Twins players celebrate after winning the 2023 Korean Series, the Korea Baseball Organization championship round, against the KT Wiz in Game 5 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, November 13, 2023. The Twins have a spot in the 2025 Korean Series by finishing atop the KBO rankings. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
