SSG Landers players walk off the field after a 4-1 loss to the Samsung Lions in the club's Korea Baseball Organization regular-season game at Incheon SSG Landers Field in the western city of Incheon, in this May 27, file photo. (Yonhap) The 2026 South Korean baseball season hit pause after games played Thursday night, with two rival clubs neck and neck in their battle for first place.Entering the annual All-Star break in the Korea Baseball Organization, the Samsung Lions and the LG Twins are separated by just two-thousandths of a point in winning percentage. The Lions, with a win-loss-tie record of 51-32-2, are leading the league at .614 winning percentage, and the Twins have a .612 winning percentage with a 52-33-0 mark.The Twins were in first place at the start of the week, but the Lions moved ahead of them by taking two out of three games in the two clubs' showdowns.The Lions were the runners-up to the Kia Tigers in the 2024 Korean Series and have been a consistent presence in the postseason, though they have not been able to get over the hump in pursuit of their first title since 2014.The Twins are the defending Korean Series champions and are trying to become the first team in 10 years to capture back-to-back titles.These two clubs were widely considered the two title contenders before the season began. Although both teams dealt with a slew of injuries, they have managed to separate themselves from the rest of the 10-team league.The Lions lost starter Matt Manning during spring training due to an elbow injury, but the two rotation mainstays, Ariel Jurado (5-1, 3.11 ERA) and Won Tae-in (4-5, 3.58 ERA), have held down the fort.The Lions are not slugging at quite the same rate as last year but are still leading the KBO with 485 runs. Lewin Diaz, who belted 50 homers in 2025, has 16 so far this year. He is backed by the ageless wonder Choi Hyoung-woo, who rejoined the Lions as a free agent at age 42 and is batting .329 -- his highest since 2020.Captain Koo Ja-wook is putting together another productive year at the plate, with a robust .339/.422/.518 line.The Twins lost All-Star closer You Young-chan for the season to an elbow injury, while right-hander Yonny Chirinos, who had been their Opening Day starter in 2025 and 2026, was released in June amid seasonlong struggles.Thrust into the closer's role, former starter Son Ju-young has done an admirable job, sitting second in the KBO with 19 saves and carrying a 1.40 ERA. Former setup man Jang Hyun-sik has joined the rotation. After cutting ties with Chirinos, the Twins signed reliever Yacksel Rios, who is the hardest-throwing pitcher in the KBO.On offense, first baseman Austin Dean is enjoying an MVP-worthy season in his fourth campaign for the Twins. He is tied for the KBO lead with 27 home runs and ranks second with 83 RBIs, among other categories.The KT Wiz have fallen out of the race for the top lately, but they are still firmly in the postseason picture in third place at 47-35-1, 3 1/2 games behind the Lions.The Tigers (45-39-2) are enjoying a bounceback season after missing out on the postseason in 2025. The Bears, another non-playoff team from 2025, put themselves in the hunt by entering the break in fifth place at 44-41-2.The middle class is crowded, with the 2025 runners-up Hanwha Eagles (40-40-2) chasing the Bears and the NC Dinos (39-42-1) also in the hunt. The Lotte Giants are also within striking distance of a postseason spot despite their up-and-down campaign at 38-54-2.The SSG Landers (31-52-3) and the Kiwoom Heroes (29-57-1) are bringing up the rear. The Landers started the season well, but the bottom fell out on them during a 13-game losing streak that began in mid-May. They suffered a nine-game skid that ended earlier this week.The Heroes are headed for their fourth consecutive season in last place. No club has finished last in four straight seasons in the current 10-team setting.The KBO is on pace to break its single-season attendance record. It has cleared every million milestone in attendance so far and also set a first-half attendance record with just over 7.6 million fans. (Yonhap)