In the bottom of the ninth inning with one out and down 6-1, Hanwha Eagles outfielder Chae Eun-seong drove a ball toward center field that appeared to clear Samsung Lions fielder Kim Ji-chan’s glove for a hit. Replays showed the ball hit the grass before being caught, but no replay review was requested by the Hanwha dugout.
Despite Chae’s gestures asking for a video review, manager Kim Kyung-moon and the coaching staff remained motionless, drawing confusion from players on the bench who glanced toward the dugout in disbelief. The out stood, the next batter struck out, and the game ended 6-1 in favor of Samsung.
The incident sparked widespread criticism online, with fans and analysts accusing the Hanwha staff of abandoning competitive effort in a situation where baseball’s unwritten rule — “it ain’t over till it’s over” — was ignored. One commentator called the failure to challenge the call a clear case of “dereliction of duty,” emphasizing that professionals owe it to both their players and supporters to exhaust every available opportunity, no matter the score.
Hanwha went on to lose their sixth consecutive game following the contest, deepening concerns about the team’s direction during a hard stretch of the season.
