"Shouldn't the MVP come from the first-place team?"…Hilliard MVP endorsement, KT wins regular season
KT defeated Lotte 9-0 on October 5th, and with Samsung also losing that day, KT's regular season championship was confirmed. The next day, manager Lee Gang-chul publicly endorsed Hilliard for MVP.
Translated from Korean with AI assistance. Read the original. Sources and original publication dates are retained.
October 5th, Suwon. KT starter Logan Allen (29) struck out 14 batters over 8 innings and didn't allow Lotte a single run. The game ended 9-0. With Samsung also losing that day, KT's first place finish was confirmed. The next day, standing before reporters, manager Lee Gang-chul brought up a different name than Allen. It was foreign hitter Sam Hilliard.
KT's regular season championship, with 9-0 win over Lotte and Samsung's defeat coinciding
According to the KBO website game coverage, with this victory, KT clinched first place regardless of remaining game results and also secured a direct berth to the Korean Series. The first time in five years since 2021 and the team's second overall regular season championship. Allen, who recorded 14 strikeouts, joined as a replacement player for an injury in June. Subsequently, on July 18th, he signed a formal contract with a salary of 425,000 dollars.
Top 5 KBO Teams (as of 2026.10.07 02:00, October 7th games not reflected)
| Rank | Team | Record | Win Rate | Gap from First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KT | 87-49-5 | 0.640 | First Place Clinched |
| 2 | Samsung | 83-54-3 | 0.606 | 4.5 games |
| 3 | KIA | 75-62-2 | 0.547 | 12.5 games |
| 4 | LG | 76-63-1 | 0.547 | — |
| 5 | Doosan | 73-64-5 | 0.533 | 14.5 games |
Hilliard MVP case, batting average from 0.218 in MLB to 0.304 in KBO
The manager said before the October 6th game against Gocheok Kiwoom, "Shouldn't the MVP come from the first-place team?" according to Money Todayreported. The implication is that he should receive the MVP award given his contribution to the team championship. Hilliard was born in 1994 and is 32 years old, a left-handed batting American outfielder. He was drafted by Colorado in 2015, debuted in MLB in 2019, went through Atlanta, and came to KT this year.
Hilliard MLB Career vs. KBO 2026 Season
| Category | Games | Batting Average | Home Runs | RBIs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLB Career (~2025) | 332 | 0.218 | 44 | 107 |
| KBO 2026 (as of 9.20) | 127 | 0.304 | 37 | 116 |
Hilliard is a hitter who had hit 44 home runs throughout his MLB career. Such a player reached 40 home runs in just one KBO season. His 40th home run came on September 30th. The money KT spent to bring him in, according to the team's announcement, is total 1 million dollars(300,000 dollars signing bonus, 700,000 dollars salary). Weaknesses are also visible in the numbers. As of September 20th, he had 160 strikeouts. There is a 13 strikeout difference from the single-season record of 173 set by Quinlan in 2000.
'Baseball of Trust' issue, release concerns and starter rest
The issue is whether 'baseball of trust' created the championship. Yonhapnewsreported that the manager reassured the struggling Hilliard by saying "Don't worry about being released." The date of the meeting does not appear in the article. The same report also introduced a management approach of giving starting pitchers rest. Hilliard was selected for the July Player of the Month award (9 home runs, 26 RBIs).
No causal relationship has been established between the manager's trust and the performance. The manager reached 600 career wins on September 10th in a game against Lotte. It was the 13th in KBO history and the 4th among active managers at that time, with all 600 wins coming with KT.
Lee Gang-chul's salary of 600 million won, total contract of 2.4 billion won expires this year
Manager Lee Gang-chul (60) contract ends this year. According to KT's team announcement, Edaily reports, from 2024 to 2026 3-year total of 2.4 billion wonis. The signing bonus is 600 million won with annual salaries of 600 million won each, and the salaries are included in the total. Newsisreported that the timing and scale of re-signing are of interest. However, this does not mean that a re-contract or amount has been finalized.
What remains now is the Korean Series. The question is how the manager, who led the 2021 championship in a 4-game sweep, will use the time gained from this direct berth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How old is Hilliard?
Born February 21, 1994, he is 32 years old as of October 8, 2026. He is an American-born outfielder who joined KT in the 2026 season.
Q. What is manager Lee Gang-chul's salary?
According to KT's team announcement, the annual salary is 600 million won. It is a 3-year total contract of 2.4 billion won (including 600 million won signing bonus) from 2024-2026 and expires this year. Newsis (2026.10.07) reported that the timing and scale of re-signing are of interest.
Q. How many times has KT won the regular season?
It is the team's second overall following 2021. It was confirmed when KT's victory over Lotte and Samsung's defeat coincided on October 5, 2026.
Related Official Sites
- KBO Official Website — Check official announcements regarding regular season standings and MVP
- KBO Official Game Results — Search scores and records by game
- KT Wiz Official Website — Check team news and announcements
Related Resources
· "27 home runs tied for first"…Austin shakes up KBO MVP race with OPS 1.082
· "Talking about 100 wins"…Im Chan-gyou reaches 100 wins, 51 wins by age 29, 49 wins after age 30
· Hilliard with 4 hits including his 37th home run…KT routs Doosan 15-3, 2.5 games ahead of Samsung
Waisball Editor · View Profile·More Articles