LG and Lotte, two of the most popular teams in the Korean Baseball Organization this year, will meet for the second time this season.

The two teams will play three midweek games in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul from the 30th to the 1st of next month. Dubbed the ‘El Lotrascico’, the two teams have always been highly anticipated by fans as each game is fiercely contested.

In the first meeting of the season between the two teams at Sajik Stadium in Busan from the 11th to the 13th of last month, Lotte took the winning series with two wins and one loss. However, LG has been on a roll in its last 10 games, winning seven, drawing one and losing two, and is sitting alone atop the standings. Lotte currently trails LG by two games in third place.메이저놀이터

This season, LG boasts a powerhouse lineup that leads the team in batting average (2.9), hits (467), RBI (241), OPS (.780), long balls (4-for-3), and home runs (30). The team has five players batting over .300 (Austin Dean, Sung-joo Moon, Chang-ki Hong, Hae-min Park, and Bo-kyung Moon). Add to that catcher Park Dong-won, a free agent signing this season, who leads the team in home runs (13).

On the other hand, Lotte is not overwhelmingly dominant at the plate, ranking fifth in team batting average (2.5-for-9) and seventh in team ERA (4.04). But with the addition of catcher Yoo Kang-nam and shortstop Noh Jin-hyuk to the centre line, which has been a weakness, the team has been solid defensively, tied for the fewest errors (20).

Despite the loss of foreign batsman Jack Rex and leadoff man Hwang Sung-bin to injury, the team has been able to maintain its momentum thanks to its solid organisation. However, both players are expected to return soon, making Lotte’s line-up even stronger. Hwang Sung-bin is expected to be on the first team roster for the three-game series against LG, while Rex is expected to make his debut in the three-game series against KIA in Sajik from 9-11 September next month.

LG announced Lee Min-ho as the starting pitcher for the first game of the three-game series. Lee Min-ho, who has only appeared in one game (a loss) due to elbow pain, will look to shake off the injury and get his first win of the season. In contrast, Lotte will start Han Hyun-hee. Han is 4-3 with a 4.58 ERA in eight games this season.

Both teams have been on a roll lately, leading the way for professional baseball this season. LG drew over 17,000 fans for two consecutive games against the KIA in Gwangju on 27-28 April. Lotte also had a full house (16,000) for the second consecutive game against Gochuk Kiwoom on the 27th and 28th. With large crowds expected for the second matchup of the season, it remains to be seen who will come out on top.