“Obviously, it will be a difficult task for us, but at the same time, the pressure is on the other team,” Park told reporters during a pregame scrum. “We have only seen one upset so far in this round. So there is zero reason for us to feel any pressure.”
The KBO introduced the wild card round in 2015 to determine the final playoff berth. Under current rules, the higher seed, in this case the Twins, secures advancement with a single win or a tie across two opportunities. The lower seed, the Bears, must win both games. Historical data underscores the difficulty of this hurdle; since the format’s inception, a fifth seed has eliminated a fourth seed only once, a feat accomplished by the Bears themselves against the KT Wiz in 2024.
Despite the Twins’ seeding advantage, analysts point to the Bears’ formidable pitching rotation as a significant counterbalance. The Bears are anchored by Gwak Been, the regular-season leader in both earned run average (2.24) and strikeouts (197), who is scheduled to start Wednesday’s game. In contrast, the Twins experienced a decline from first place to fourth in the second half of the season, compounded by injuries that have depleted their high-leverage bullpen.
Tactical Shifts and Bullpen Strategy
Doosan Bears manager Kim Won-hyong has already made strategic adjustments to maximize his pitching resources for the immediate series. On Monday, Kim announced that American starter Zach Logue would move to the bullpen for the postseason. Logue, who finished the regular season with an 8-7 record and a 4.27 ERA, volunteered for the role, recognizing that saving starters for later rounds is impractical given the Bears’ need to win two straight games to survive.
“We have to win two straight games and we cannot afford to get ahead of ourselves,” Kim stated. “In postseason games, you can never predict what can happen. Maybe our starter will be roughed up after just a few innings. In that case, we will need someone to eat up multiple innings in the middle. We will need every pitcher available other than our potential Game 2 starter.”
Logue, who had an up-and-down season compared to his 2.81 ERA in 2025, attributed some of his inconsistencies to hitter familiarity but expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful October game. “I think our pitching can pitch well against anybody,” Logue said. “We are ready to go wherever and a really good pitching staff I think is what ultimately wins you a championship.”
If the Bears force a Game 2, either Wes Benjamin or Choi Min-seok, both of whom posted strong regular-season performances, are expected to take the mound. The winner of this wild card series will advance to face the Kia Tigers, the team Park previously represented for 10 seasons before joining the Bears this year. Park emphasized that his focus remains entirely on Wednesday’s contest, refusing to let his mind drift to a potential rematch with his former club.
“We have to take care of business today first,” Park said with a smile. “Honestly, I have not thought about facing the Tigers. I have to go all-in on trying to win today. I will think about everything else later.”
The series begins at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, with a potential second game scheduled for Thursday at the same venue. The Bears will need to capitalize on their pitching depth to overcome the structural disadvantage of the wild card format, aiming to replicate their 2024 upset and secure a spot in the next round.
