Who are the starting pitchers for Samsung Lions vs. Kia Tigers in Game 5, and how did they fare in their previous postseason matchup?

Samsung will start Ariel Jurado and Kia will start Adam Oller. In Game 2, Jurado held Kia to two runs on five hits over 6 2/3 innings, while Oller gave up five runs on five hits, including a home run by Lewin Diaz, in 4 2/3 innings.

What happened when Ariel Jurado and Adam Oller faced each other in the regular season?

Jurado faced the Tigers on May 15, allowing three runs on 10 hits and striking out a season-high seven, but Kia won 5-4. Oller’s Daegu record this year includes 13 earned runs allowed over 5 2/3 innings across one regular-season start and one postseason start.

Which Samsung Lions hitters could pose a challenge for Adam Oller in Game 5?

Samsung plans to place left-handed hitters Koo Ja-wook, Lewin Diaz and Choi Hyoung-woo in the middle of its lineup. Right-handed Lee Jae-hyeon also had a home run and three RBIs against Oller in the regular season.

Right-handers squaring off again with KBO championship series berth at stake

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Summary

The Samsung Lions will host the Kia Tigers in Daegu at 2 p.m. Sunday for Game 5 of their best-of-five KBO postseason series, with a Korean Series berth at stake. The Lions will start Ariel Jurado, while the Tigers will counter with Adam Oller. The winner will face regular-season champions KT Wiz in the Korean Series, which begins Tuesday.

Key Facts

Jurado earned his first career postseason win in Game 2, allowing two runs on five hits over 6 2/3 innings in the Lions’ 8-3 victory.
In their regular-season meeting on May 15, Jurado gave up three runs on 10 hits and struck out a season-high seven batters, but the Tigers won 5-4.
Oller allowed five runs on five hits, including a home run by Lewin Diaz, in 4 2/3 innings in Game 2.
Across one regular-season start and one postseason start in Daegu this year, Oller allowed 13 earned runs in 5 2/3 innings.
The Lions plan to stack the middle of their lineup with left-handed hitters Koo Ja-wook, Diaz and Choi Hyoung-woo; right-handed Lee Jae-hyeon hit a home run and drove in three runs against Oller in the regular season.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 31, 2026 10:05 am KST
Updated Oct 31, 2026 10:42 am KST

Samsung Lions starter Ariel Jurado pitches against the Kia Tigers during Game 2 of the second round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu, Tuesday. Yonhap

The two right-handed pitchers that went toe-to-toe earlier in the ongoing South Korean baseball postseason will meet again Sunday with much more at stake — a ticket to the championship series.

The Samsung Lions will host the Kia Tigers for the deciding Game 5 of their best-of-five second round in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason at 2 p.m. Sunday at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, some 230 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

The winner of this game will advance to the Korean Series, which begins Tuesday with the regular-season champions KT Wiz waiting.

The Lions will have their Panamanian ace Ariel Jurado on the hill Sunday, while the Tigers will counter with their American starter Adam Oller.

These two pitchers also started Game 2 back on Tuesday in Daegu, where the Lions prevailed 8-3. Jurado collected his first career postseason win by holding the Tigers to two runs on five hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Jurado had faced the Tigers only once in the regular season. On May 15, Jurado gave up three runs on 10 hits in seven innings and struck out a season-high seven batters, but the Tigers won 5-4.

Oller was charged with the loss after allowing five runs on five hits, including a home run by Lewin Diaz, in 4 2/3 innings.

Oller has struggled in Daegu this year, with 13 earned runs allowed in 5 2/3 innings in one regular-season start and one postseason start combined.

Kia Tigers starter Adam Oller pitches against the Samsung Lions during Game 2 of the second round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu, Tuesday. Yonhap

The Lions will stack the middle of their lineup with left-handed bats like Koo Ja-wook, Diaz and Choi Hyoung-woo. Right-handed Lee Jae-hyeon had a home run and three RBIs against Oller in the regular season.

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