Reigning champions KT Wiz Suwon powers past Kia Tigers to begin the 2022 KBO League postseason

Reigning KBO League champions KT Wiz Suwon kicked off their postseason title defense by eliminating the Kia Tigers in their Wild Card series earlier today.

Like the MLB postseason and the Nippon Professional Baseball League playoffs in Japan, the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) League is in its postseason phase during this time of the year.

Defending champion KT Wiz Suwon got the better of the Kia Tigers in the Wild Card game 6-2. Being the fourth seed, KT Wiz was automatically given a one-game advantage in the best-of-three series against fifth seed Kia. They needed only a win or a tie to advance.

Bae Jung-dae was the star man for KT Wiz in the game against Kia. He finished the night by going 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored with his bases clearing double in the eighth inning. He proved to be the coup de grace for the Tigers' postseason hopes.

KT Wiz Suwon will continue their quest for a title defense on the road as they face former MLB All-Star Yasiel Puig's Kiwoom Heroes on October 16.

KBO League Postseason Format

KT Wiz players celebrate after sweeping the Doosan Bears in the 2021 Korean Series

The KBO League postseason follows a different format, however. The Korean league implements a step-ladder format in its playoffs, wherein the first two teams that will play in the Wild Card series will be the fourth and fifth seeds of the regular season in a best-of-three. The winner of the Wild Card series will then advance to face the third seed and so on in best-of-threes before the Korean Series.

The winner of the stepladder eliminations will face the top seed of the regular season in the Korean Series in a best-of-seven to determine the overall champion.