Following the successful holding of the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO All-Star Game, where players and fans came together as one, the second half of the KBO League will start on July 17 (Thursday). Even amid fierce competition for rankings, the following major records are expected to shine.
▲ Samsung's first all-time 3,000 wins in the inaugural KBO League, and KIA's historic challenge for 35,000 strikeouts
Samsung, as a team from the inaugural KBO League, is aiming for 3,000 wins in its 44th season. Having achieved a total of 2,968 wins by the end of the first half, Samsung will become the first team in KBO League history to reach 3,000 wins if it adds 32 more victories in the second half.
KIA, always supported by outstanding pitchers who dominate the league, is challenging for the historic milestone of 35,000 strikeouts. The KIA pitching staff recorded 651 strikeouts in the first half, and if they achieve 194 more strikeouts in the second half, they will complete 35,000 strikeouts. There is great interest in which pitcher will become the hero of this remarkable record.
▲ KIA's Yang Hyun-jong challenges for the first-ever 11 consecutive seasons with 100 strikeouts
KIA's Yang Hyun-jong, a living history of cumulative records in KBO League pitchers, is challenging for the first-ever 11 consecutive seasons with 100 strikeouts. Yang recorded 100 strikeouts in 10 consecutive seasons from 2014 to 2020 and in 2022 to 2024 (with a season abroad in 2021), tying for first place in this category with Lee Kang-chul (former Haitai) and Jang Won-joon (former Doosan). If Yang adds 27 more strikeouts after recording 73 in the first half, he will take sole first place with 11 consecutive seasons of achieving 100 strikeouts.
Currently, Yang Hyun-jong is setting a new all-time record for strikeouts in KBO League history with a total of 2,149 strikeouts. If he adds 51 more strikeouts, he will reach 2,200 strikeouts. Additionally, if he records 6 wins in the second half, he will climb to 190 career wins, inching closer to the all-time KBO League victory record of 210 wins held by Song Jin-woo (former Hanwha).
▲ SSG's Noh Kyung-eun aims for three consecutive seasons with 30 holds, following two consecutive seasons
With performances reflecting his age, SSG's Noh Kyung-eun, who achieved the first-ever two consecutive seasons with 30 holds last season, is challenging to extend that record. Currently recording 17 holds, if Noh adds 13 more, he will extend the unprecedented record of two consecutive seasons with 30 holds to three seasons. Last season, Noh won the KBO Holds Award and continues to perform well this season, ranking joint fourth in this category in the first half.
▲ Samsung's Kang Min-ho, who holds the all-time record for game appearances, aims for 2,500 game appearances and challenges for 350 home runs as the first catcher
Kang Min-ho, who holds the all-time appearance record in the KBO League, aims for 2,500 game appearances. With 56 games remaining this season, if Kang appears in 54 games, he will complete the record of 2,500 game appearances. Additionally, with 346 career home runs, if he adds 4 more in the second half, he will become the seventh player in history to reach 350 home runs. If he adds 2 more home runs, he will also become the third player in history to record 10 home runs in 16 consecutive seasons, following SSG's Choi Jeong and KIA's Choi Hyung-woo.
▲ Accumulative record progress for KBO League veterans such as LG's Kim Hyun-soo, Park Hae-min, SSG's Kim Kwang-hyun, and Choi Jeong
Always present in the KBO League's cumulative batting records, LG's Kim Hyun-soo is within sight of 2,500 career hits and 1,500 RBIs. With 2,476 career hits, if Kim records 24 more hits, he will become the fourth player in history to achieve 2,500 hits, and if he adds 10 RBIs, he will become the third player to reach 1,500 RBIs.
Having successfully completed 20 stolen bases for 12 consecutive seasons in the KBO League during the first half, Park Hae-min is just 10 stolen bases away from 450 career steals. If Park reaches 450 stolen bases, he will become the fifth player in history to achieve this milestone and will maintain an overwhelming first place among active players.
SSG's Kim Kwang-hyun is also on the verge of a major record. In his 16th season in the KBO League, Kim has recorded 1,972 strikeouts, and if he adds 28 strikeouts, he will become the third player in KBO League history to reach 2,000 strikeouts, following Yang Hyun-jong and Song Jin-woo.
SSG's Choi Jeong, the all-time scoring leader in the KBO League, is just 10 runs away from 1,500 runs. Choi, who has left significant records including 500 home runs, 1,500 RBIs, and 4,000 total bases, is also on the cusp of another major record.
▲ KT's Rojas aims for the title of KBO League's best foreign hitter
KT's Rojas, who has set the record for the most home runs by a foreign hitter in the KBO League, is challenging for another foreign hitter record. With a total of 898 hits, 563 RBIs, and 503 runs, Rojas is challenging to break the all-time foreign hitter records of 979 hits, 591 RBIs, and 538 runs held by Davis (Hanwha).
If he adds 73 hits in the second half, he will achieve the 6th all-time record and become the first foreign hitter to record 150 hits for five consecutive seasons. Furthermore, if he adds 7 more home runs, he will become the 14th player in history and the third foreign hitter to achieve 20 home runs in five consecutive seasons, following Woo Jae-hoon (former Doosan) and Romak (former SSG).
▲ Hanwha's coach Kim Kyung-moon nearing 1,000 career wins
Coach Kim Kyung-moon of Hanwha, who finished the first half in first place, is just 10 wins away from achieving 1,000 career wins in the KBO League. So far, only two managers, Kim Eung-ryong (1,554 wins) and Kim Seong-keun (1,388 wins), have surpassed 1,000 wins in the KBO League. Coach Kim has recorded 990 wins, 851 losses, and 33 draws in 1,874 games, maintaining a winning percentage of 0.538.
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