Tigers skipper vows to come back stronger in '27 after KBO postseason exit

By Yoo Jee-ho

DAEGU, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- For the first time in his three-year managerial career in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), Kia Tigers manager Lee Bum-ho lost a postseason series.

It came Sunday, when the Tigers fell to the Samsung Lions 6-1 in Game 5 of the second round at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu.

Lee won the Korean Series title in his first year in charge, as the Tigers advanced directly to the championship series and knocked off the Lions in five games.

Then this year, the Tigers began their postseason journey in the best-of-five first round, where they swept the 2025 champions LG Twins.

The Tigers won the opener of the second round before dropping the next two games to get to the brink. They forced the deciding Game 5 by winning the fourth game Friday but could not muster another win.

"It has been a long postseason and I want to thank my players for their hard work," Lee said. "We did our best in this series. We will try to come back stronger next year so that we can contend for the title."

Tigers starter Adam Oller was roughed up for four runs on six hits in only two innings of work -- with three of those runs coming in the bottom of the second.

Asked if he thought about making a quicker pitching change during that inning, Lee said, "Everyone gave their best effort in this game and I don't have issues with how our players performed today."

Looking at the big picture of the whole season, Lee said he has been encouraged by the emergence of young players up and down the roster.

"After this postseason loss, we need to identify where we need to get better," Lee said. "And we as a staff have to get more out of our young players going forward so that we can accomplish bigger things next season."

As for his first postseason failure, Lee said the eight-game gauntlet this fall has been a valuable learning experience.

"Over the past two rounds, I think I have learned a great deal about managing games," Lee said. "I have to challenge myself more. I will go back to the drawing board and figure out ways to put up a better record next year. In baseball, things don't always go the way you think they will go. We must not assume that we will be back in the postseason next year just because we were here this year. We have to learn from our mistakes this year and come back prepared to battle next year."