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SSG ends season with a three-game sweep in Semi-PoV

Juniors unable to overcome seniority, foreign injuries added to bad luck

SSG coach Kim Won-hyung watching the game

SSG Landers and NC Dinos during the third game of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League Semi-Playoffs (Semi-Po) at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, Gyeongnam, on May 25. SSG head coach Kim Won-hyung watches the game.

The SSG Landers did not return to Incheon, ending their 2023 KBO schedule at Changwon NC Park.

SSG lost 6-7 in the third game of the semifinals against the NC Dinos at Changwon NC Park on Oct. 25.

After finishing the regular season in third place, SSG was swept in three consecutive games by NC, who came through the wild-card round, and exited the fall stage.

Their dreams of winning the Korean Series for the second year in a row were dashed.

Last year, SSG became the first team in the KBO League to win the wire-to-wire title, never losing first place from the start of the regular season to the end. They also defeated the Kiwoom Heroes in the Korean Series to win the overall title.

This year also started off well.

SSG finished the first half, which ended on July 13, in second place (46 wins, 32 losses, and one tie). They were 2.5 games behind the first-place LG Twins (49 wins, 30 losses, and two ties).

This was despite the fact that foreign pitcher Eni Romero was released without pitching a single game and ace Kirk McCarty was out for nearly a month.

SSG was still in contention for the title through July 31, trailing leader LG by 2.5 games.

However, a five-game losing streak in August saw them slip out of contention, and a poor September saw them go 6-15-2 with two ties, putting them in danger of missing the postseason. On September 22, they dropped to sixth place.

SSG went 10-2 in October, knocking off NC (4th) and Doosan Bears (5th) to punch their ticket to the Semi-Po.

SSG's regular season record was 76 wins, 65 losses and three ties (0.539 winning percentage).

SSG head coach Kim Won-hyung said, "We went straight to the Semi-Pyeongpo with a good mood, focus, and unified will to win at the end of the regular season." "We will prepare well to show that kind of performance in the Semi-Pyeongpo," he added.

He also believes in the "Autumn DNA," which was highlighted by the former SK Wyverns' dynasty from 2007-2012, when they reached the Korean Series for six consecutive seasons and won three titles, and also won the title in 2018 and 2022.

However, SSG in 2023 was weaker in the fall stage.