KBO League teams face roster gaps due to Asian Games call-ups

The upcoming 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are set to impact several KBO League teams as key players are called up for national duty. The baseball national team is scheduled to convene on September 14, with the tournament beginning on the 18th.

Samsung Lions will lose three core players: outfielder Kim Ji-chan, shortstop Lee Jae-hyun, and rookie reliever Bae Chan-seung. While the team has depth to mitigate these losses, the absence of Kim Ji-chan, a high-average leadoff hitter, remains a concern. Doosan Bears face a significant pitching deficit with the departure of starting pitchers Kwak Bin and Choi Min-seok, as well as infielder Park Jun-soon.

Other affected clubs include KT Wiz, which is losing three pitchers including starter So Hyeong-jun; LG Twins, missing Moon Bo-gyeong and Kim Young-woo; KIA Tigers, losing star hitter Kim Do-young; and Doosan Bears. The timing of the tournament, with the final scheduled for September 27, creates complex scheduling challenges for clubs competing for high rankings in the regular season and potential post-season Wild Card games.