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
LeagueKBO League
SportBaseball
DurationMay 5 – October 18
Number of games144 per team
Number of teams10
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
Regular season standings[7]
Rank TeamPWLDPct.GBPostseason
1 NC Dinos6744212.677— —
2 Doosan Bears6840280.5885.5
3 Kia Tigers6637290.5617.5
4 Kiwoom Heroes7039310.5577.5
5 LG Twins6836311.5379.0
6 KT Wiz6834331.50711.0
7 Samsung Lions6834340.50011.5
8 Lotte Giants6632340.48512.5
9 SK Wyverns6824440.35321.5
10 Hanwha Eagles6917520.24629.0

As of 26 July 2020.

League leaders

As of 9 July 2020.

Batting leaders[8]
Stat Player Team Total
Batting Average José FernándezDoosan Bears.383
Home runs Mel Rojas Jr.KT Wiz19
Runs Batted In Mel Rojas Jr.KT Wiz52
Runs José FernándezDoosan Bears50
Mel Rojas Jr.KT Wiz
Hits José FernándezDoosan Bears88
Stolen Bases Seo Geon-changKiwoom Heroes13
On-base percentage José FernándezDoosan Bears.443
Slugging percentage Mel Rojas Jr.KT Wiz.705
Pitching leaders[9]
Stat Player Team Total
Earned run average Eric JokischKiwoom Heroes1.41
Wins Raúl AlcántaraDoosan Bears8
Eric JokischKiwoom Heroes
Saves Cho Sang-wooKiwoom Heroes14
Won Jong-hyunNC Dinos
Holds Jeon Sang-hyunKia Tigers12
Innings pitched Odrisamer DespaigneKT Wiz79.2
Winning percentage 25 players8 teams1.000
Strikeouts Koo Chang-moNC Dinos82
WHIP Koo Chang-moNC Dinos0.81

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
  1. "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.
  2. "(LEAD) Pro baseball league postpones start of regular season over coronavirus". Yonhap News Agency. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  3. "The Latest: South Korean baseball season postponed". WTMJ-TV. Associated Press. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  4. Barie, Sean (20 February 2020). "Korean baseball team makes Terry Park home for spring training". WBBH-TV. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  5. 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.
  6. "Baseball quietly returns to South Korea as games begin without fans". ESPN.com. Associated Press. 20 April 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  7. "Team Standings". KoreaBaseball.com. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  8. "Batting Leaders". KBO.
  9. "Pitching Leaders". KBO.
  10. "KBO tenders international media rights for 2020-23". SportBusiness. 2020-03-11. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
  11. "ESPN shows interest in Korean baseball rights". SportBusiness. 2020-04-15. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
  12. Hayes, Dade (2020-05-04). "ESPN Goes Outside Its Usual Strike Zone, Setting South Korean Baseball Rights Deal". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
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