Seoul: No team in South Korean baseball has won consecutive titles since 2016. It's the longest drought without a back-to-back champion in the 44-year history of the Korea Baseball Organization. Youm Kyoung-youb, manager of the 2025 Korean Series champions LG Twins, voiced his confidence Tuesday that his club can end that streak this year.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Youm expressed optimism during the team's first meeting of 2026 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. "Honestly, we had been building up to win the title in 2026. We were extremely lucky to win it in 2025," Youm stated. "For the 2026 season, our roster setup is perfect. We will be the one to win back-to-back titles."

The Twins, who also claimed the Korean Series title in 2023, faced a setback in 2024 when they didn't reach the championship round. However, a revamped starting rotation, led by Yonny Chirinos and midseason addition Anders Tolhurst, bolstered by a lineup of consistent hitters and a strong defense, propelled them back to the top in 2025.

For the upcoming season, the Twins will retain their entire pitching rotation from the previous year. Additionally, Kim Yun-sik and Lee Min-ho will rejoin the team after completing their mandatory military service, offering versatility as both starters and relievers.

Despite losing captain and veteran outfielder Kim Hyun-soo to the KT Wiz in free agency, the return of slugger Lee Jae-won from military service is expected to fill the gap. "We will use Jae-won mostly as designated hitter but he will also spell our regular outfielders when they need rest," Youm commented on the player's anticipated role.

After guiding the Twins to two Korean Series titles in his first three seasons, Youm received a three-year contract extension in November. "If things go well this year, I feel like we can contend for at least the next five years," Youm remarked. "This will be Year 1 of that five-year plan."