Chris Paddack’s path from Miami disappointment to Korean Series champion took another sharp turn this week, and it ended with him closing out the title.
The former Marlins right-hander, who lasted barely a month in the Miami rotation after signing last offseason, finished the 2026 Korean Series with a huge relief outing for the Samsung Lions. On Sunday in Game 5, he threw four perfect innings out of the bullpen on short rest to help seal the league championship.
That came after Paddack had already given the Lions a strong start in Game 2 on Wednesday. He worked 7.0 innings, allowed eight hits and one earned run, walked one and struck out three, but did not factor into the decision in an extra-inning win.
His run in Korea has been a major turnaround from the rough stretch that sent him overseas in the first place. With Miami, Paddack posted a 7.63 ERA and 4.96 FIP in 30 ⅔ innings, and the Marlins lost all six of his starts. The club ate $4 million on the deal before he later had brief stops with the Cincinnati Reds and Texas Rangers.
Paddack debuted with Samsung on July 18, and the move fit him far better than anyone could have expected. In 13 games, including 12 starts, he put up a 2.95 ERA and 3.05 FIP across the second half of the KBO season. His strikeout rate jumped from 15.0% to 26.4%, and he allowed home runs at half the rate he had earlier.
The Lions, who finished second in the KBO standings, also had another familiar former Marlin in the mix. Lewin Díaz, once a light hitter in the majors from 2020-22, has become a star in Korea.
This season he hit .305/.384/.510 with 26 home runs, two stolen bases and a 134 wRC+. Since joining the league in August 2024, he has driven in more runs than any other KBO player, with 306.
In the Korean Series, the Dominican first baseman went 7-for-22.
Samsung’s championship also ended a long wait. The Lions now own nine titles since entering the league in 1982, but this one snapped a 12-year drought.