Chris Flexen Leads Samsung Lions to KBO Korean Series Title Victory

Samsung Lions Claim Title

Pitcher Chris Flexen threw four scoreless relief innings to secure a 12-1 victory for the Samsung Lions over the KT Wiz in Game 5 of the KBO Korean Series on November 8, 2026, at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, mk.co.kr reported.

The win clinched a 4-1 series triumph, delivering Samsung its ninth championship in franchise history and its first since 2014, according to mk.co.kr records.

Flexen’s Heavy Postseason Workload

Flexen carried a massive physical burden for the Lions through October, throwing 345 pitches across multiple short-rest appearances, mk.co.kr reported. He started Game 1 of the playoff series against the Kia Tigers, yielding five runs over 4.2 innings, before returning on three days’ rest to throw 99 pitches across 5.1 innings in Game 4.

The right-hander continued his heavy usage in the Korean Series, logging 102 pitches over seven innings in Game 2. When the Lions needed him in the clincher, he took the mound in the sixth inning and retired five batters on strikeouts without allowing a run.

Fulfilling a Daegu Promise

“I promised when I first came here in July that I would try to bring a championship ring to the fans in Daegu,” Flexen said, according to mk.co.kr. “I made that promise, and I’m in a good mood to be able to keep it.”

Flexen explained that his early entry into the fifth game stemmed from the team’s commanding lead. “I told the coaches I could keep pitching,” he said via mk.co.kr. “I thought that in such an important game today, I should stick it out to the end.”

Major League Background to KBO Success

Drafted in the eighth round of the 2015 MLB Draft by the Miami Marlins, Flexen compiled a 32-43 record and a 4.83 ERA across 581.2 innings in the majors, pitching for teams including the New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers, mk.co.kr reported.

After joining the Lions for the second half of the season, Flexen made 13 regular-season appearances spanning 76.1 innings, finishing with a 7-3 record and a 2.95 ERA, mk.co.kr reported.

Sharing the Final Out

Reflecting on the final out of the series, Flexen praised his teammates for carrying him through mental fatigue and mentioned his family watching from Texas in the early morning hours, mk.co.kr reported.

“The thrilling feeling when the last out was made is a memory that Kang Min-ho and I will carry for the rest of our lives,” Flexen told mk.co.kr. “I want to see how the photos turned out when we ran toward each other and one of us got hit in the face.”

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