2020 KBO League season
The 2020 KBO League season, also known by naming rights sponsorship as 2020 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League (Korean: 2020 신한은행 SOL KBO 리그), is the 39th season in the history of the KBO League.
2020 KBO League | |
---|---|
League | KBO League |
Sport | Baseball |
Duration | May 5 – October 18 |
Number of games | 144 per team |
Number of teams | 10 |
TV partner(s) | KBS, MBC, SBS, SPOTV, ESPN |
Regular Season | |
Postseason | |
Korean Series |
Season schedule
The 2020 KBO League season schedule was released in December 2019. Opening Day was originally scheduled on 28 March 2020.[1] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea, the Korea Baseball Organization announced in March 2020 that all ten exhibition games would be cancelled, and the start of the season would be delayed until April.[2][3]
The Kia Tigers, a KBO League team that had arrived in the United States on 30 January 2020 to hold a portion of its spring training activities, remained in Fort Myers, Florida through March.[4][5] Preseason KBO League games began on 21 April. The regular season began on 5 May.[6]
An Chi-hong was the only free agent to move to the Lotte Giants.
Standings
Rank | Team | P | W | L | D | Pct. | GB | Postseason |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | NC Dinos | 67 | 44 | 21 | 2 | .677 | — | — |
2 | Doosan Bears | 68 | 40 | 28 | 0 | .588 | 5.5 | |
3 | Kia Tigers | 66 | 37 | 29 | 0 | .561 | 7.5 | |
4 | Kiwoom Heroes | 70 | 39 | 31 | 0 | .557 | 7.5 | |
5 | LG Twins | 68 | 36 | 31 | 1 | .537 | 9.0 | |
6 | KT Wiz | 68 | 34 | 33 | 1 | .507 | 11.0 | |
7 | Samsung Lions | 68 | 34 | 34 | 0 | .500 | 11.5 | |
8 | Lotte Giants | 66 | 32 | 34 | 0 | .485 | 12.5 | |
9 | SK Wyverns | 68 | 24 | 44 | 0 | .353 | 21.5 | |
10 | Hanwha Eagles | 69 | 17 | 52 | 0 | .246 | 29.0 | |
As of 26 July 2020.
League leaders
As of 9 July 2020.
Stat | Player | Team | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Batting Average | José Fernández | Doosan Bears | .383 |
Home runs | Mel Rojas Jr. | KT Wiz | 19 |
Runs Batted In | Mel Rojas Jr. | KT Wiz | 52 |
Runs | José Fernández | Doosan Bears | 50 |
Mel Rojas Jr. | KT Wiz | ||
Hits | José Fernández | Doosan Bears | 88 |
Stolen Bases | Seo Geon-chang | Kiwoom Heroes | 13 |
On-base percentage | José Fernández | Doosan Bears | .443 |
Slugging percentage | Mel Rojas Jr. | KT Wiz | .705 |
Stat | Player | Team | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Earned run average | Eric Jokisch | Kiwoom Heroes | 1.41 |
Wins | Raúl Alcántara | Doosan Bears | 8 |
Eric Jokisch | Kiwoom Heroes | ||
Saves | Cho Sang-woo | Kiwoom Heroes | 14 |
Won Jong-hyun | NC Dinos | ||
Holds | Jeon Sang-hyun | Kia Tigers | 12 |
Innings pitched | Odrisamer Despaigne | KT Wiz | 79.2 |
Winning percentage | 25 players | 8 teams | 1.000 |
Strikeouts | Koo Chang-mo | NC Dinos | 82 |
WHIP | Koo Chang-mo | NC Dinos | 0.81 |
Broadcast rights
National
International
On 11 March, the KBO tendered international media rights for the KBO League from 2020 through 2023.[10] It was reported that there had been potential interest from American sports network ESPN, due to the disruption of domestic sports (including Major League Baseball) due to the pandemic.[11] On 4 May, the KBO announced that ESPN had acquired U.S. media rights to the KBO League, airing a live game daily (largely falling during overnight and early-morning hours in the U.S.) during the regular season, along with coverage of the postseason and Korean Series. The broadcasts will feature existing ESPN talent working from home.[12]
See also
References
- "Baseball league announces 2020 regular season schedule". The Korea Herald. Yonhap News Agency. 16 December 2019. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
- "(LEAD) Pro baseball league postpones start of regular season over coronavirus". Yonhap News Agency. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
- "The Latest: South Korean baseball season postponed". WTMJ-TV. Associated Press. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
- Barie, Sean (20 February 2020). "Korean baseball team makes Terry Park home for spring training". WBBH-TV. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
- Dorsey, David (4 March 2020). "Coronavirus prolongs South Korean baseball team's spring training stay in Fort Myers". Fort Myers News-Press. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
- "Baseball quietly returns to South Korea as games begin without fans". ESPN.com. Associated Press. 20 April 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
- "Team Standings". KoreaBaseball.com. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
- "Batting Leaders". KBO.
- "Pitching Leaders". KBO.
- "KBO tenders international media rights for 2020-23". SportBusiness. 2020-03-11. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
- "ESPN shows interest in Korean baseball rights". SportBusiness. 2020-04-15. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
- Hayes, Dade (2020-05-04). "ESPN Goes Outside Its Usual Strike Zone, Setting South Korean Baseball Rights Deal". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-05-04.