What lineup changes did the Samsung Lions make for Game 2 against the Kia Tigers?

Samsung put veteran slugger Choi Hyoung-woo back in the lineup and moved Park Seung-kyu up from fifth to second. Choi had initially been left out because no designated hitter spot was available and he was regarded as a defensive liability.

How did Kia Tigers manager Lee Bum-ho plan to counter Samsung’s left-handed hitters?

Lee said the Tigers would have left-handed relievers ready to use when the situation called for them. He said he was not concerned by the Lions’ lineup changes and considered the situation manageable for his game plan.

Why did Lee Bum-ho put Lee Ho-yeon near the top of the Kia Tigers lineup against Ariel Jurado?

Lee said Ho-yeon had made good contact against Jurado and was one of the few Tigers hitters to do so. Ho-yeon had a 3-for-5 career record against the Panamanian pitcher, and Lee wanted him and leadoff hitter Park Jae-hyun in the top two spots.

Tigers manager not surprised by opponent's lineup changes in KBO postseason

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Summary

Kia Tigers manager Lee Bum-ho said Tuesday in Daegu that he expected the Samsung Lions to change their lineup for Game 2 of their best-of-five KBO postseason series. The Tigers won the opener 5-1 on Monday, and the Lions had managed only two hits. Lee said his pitchers were prepared for the revised batting order, including its four left-handed hitters. The Tigers also moved Lee Ho-yeon into the second spot against starter Ariel Jurado.

Key Facts

Samsung returned veteran slugger Choi Hyoung-woo to the lineup and moved Park Seung-kyu from fifth to second in the batting order.
Lee said the Tigers would have left-handed relievers ready when needed.
Lee Ho-yeon had gone 3-for-5 in his career against Jurado.
Lee Ho-yeon replaced Park Jung-woo, while Park Jae-hyun moved from second in Monday’s game to leadoff on Tuesday.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 27, 2026 5:45 pm KST

KIA Tigers manager Lee Bum-ho watches Game 1 of the KBO postseason playoff series against the Samsung Lions at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, Monday. Yonhap

Kia Tigers manager Lee Bum-ho said Tuesday he was not surprised by substantial changes to the lineup of his Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason opponent.

The Tigers beat the Samsung Lions 5-1 to begin their best-of-five series at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu on Monday. The Lions, after managing just two hits in the loss, put veteran slugger Choi Hyoung-woo back in the lineup for Tuesday. Outfielder Park Seung-kyu moved up from the No. 5 spot to the No. 2 hole in the order, too.

Choi was held out of the lineup initially because there was no designated spot available for him, and he is largely regarded as a defensive liability. But Park said earlier in the day he will prioritize offense in Game 2.

Lee said his pitchers will be ready to handle whatever comes their way, with four left-handed batters in the middle for the Lions.

"I expected Hyoung-woo to get the start today, and also figured Seung-kyu would hit higher up in the order, too," Lee said. "We will have some left-handed relievers ready to go when the situation calls for it. As far as our game plans go, it is not such a bad situation for us."

Lee himself made some changes, with outfielder Lee Ho-yeon drawing in for Park Jung-woo and batting second against Lions starter Ariel Jurado.

Lee Ho-yeon has batted 3-for-5 in his career against the Panamanian pitcher. He will be the designated hitter behind Park Jae-hyun, who batted second in Monday's win but will lead things off Tuesday.

"Ho-yeon has done well against Jurado. He is one of the few guys on our team who has made good contact against Jurado," the manager said. "I felt the top two spots in our lineup would be critical in this game, and I wanted to see him and Jae-hyun do their thing up top."

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