SSG Landers and NC Dinos will clash in the first game of the semi-playoffs, which will have a decisive impact on advancing to the playoffs.
SSG and NC will play the first round of the ‘2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League’ postseason semi-playoffs at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 22nd. SSG announced Roenis Elias as the starting pitcher, and NC announced Shin Min-hyuk as the starting pitcher.
SSG finished 3rd in the league with 76 wins, 3 draws, and 65 losses and advanced straight to the semi-playoffs. SSG’s most notable strength is definitely home runs. He hit 125 home runs this season, ranking first on the team in home runs. The gap with 2nd place KIA (101 home runs) was not small at 24. Choi Jeong-eun ranked second in the league in home runs with 29 home runs, and Choi Joo-hwan tied for sixth place with 20 home runs. SSG, LG, and Hanwha are the only teams that produced more than two hitters with 20 home runs this year. Choi Jeong was unable to play due to a muscle micro-damage injury at the end of the season, but was included in the semi-playoff entry.
SSG starting pitcher Elias recorded 8 wins, 6 losses, and an average ERA of 3.70 in 22 games (131⅓ innings) this season. Against NC, he struggled with 3 games (14⅓ innings), 1 win, and an average ERA of 7.53, but his performance since August was not bad with 8 games (49⅓ innings), 2 wins, 1 loss, and an average ERA of 3.83.
NC ranked 4th in the league with 75 wins, 2 draws, and 67 losses and succeeded in advancing to the postseason. In the wild card match held on the 19th, they showed off their powerful hitting by defeating Doosan 14-9. NC ranked 3rd in team scoring (679) with Son Ah-seop (OPS .836), who won the batting average and most hits titles, Park Geon-woo (OPS .877), Jason Martin (OPS .815), and Park Min-woo (OPS .786). recorded.먹튀검증
NC starting pitcher Shin Min-hyuk recorded 5 wins, 5 losses, and an average ERA of 3.98 in 29 games (122 innings) this season. He pitched poorly against SSG, pitching at 6.57 in 4 games (12⅓ innings). His performance in September and October was good, with 8 games (31 innings), 1 win, and an ERA of 3.48.
The semi-playoffs will be held in a best-of-five format. Looking at past postseason records, the probability that the team that won the first round of the semi-playoffs would advance to the playoffs was 87.5% (28/32). In the past, when semi-playoffs were held in a best-of-three format, the team that won the first game advanced to the playoffs 100% of the time (18/18).
Looking at series played in the best-of-five series in past postseasons, the probability of the team winning the first game advancing was 76.1% (35/46). In a best-of-five series, compared to a best-of-three series, the impact of winning the first game on the advancement probability is greatly reduced, but the overwhelming advantage is still maintained.
In the first game, where the direction of the series is at stake, will the smiling team be SSG or NC? Fans’ attention is focused on Incheon, where the first game is held.
