KBO 2026 · Top-5 race
KBO Magic Numbers · Today
A magic number is how far a club is from clinching the postseason (top 5 of the regular season). Each own win or 6th-place loss cuts it by one. Recomputed within 10 minutes of every result.
· Cut line: Doosan · first team out: NC
- As of September 6, 2026, Samsung leads the KBO League (72-46-3, .610) with KT second (69-46-3, .600). KBO winning percentage excludes ties: wins ÷ (wins + losses).
- As of September 6, 2026, Samsung needs 11 wins from its remaining 23 games to clinch a top-five (postseason) place regardless of every other result.
- As of September 6, 2026, KT needs 14 wins from its remaining 26 games to clinch a top-five (postseason) place regardless of every other result.
- As of September 6, 2026, LG needs 16 wins from its remaining 22 games to clinch a top-five (postseason) place regardless of every other result.
🔢 Magic & tragic numbers by club
| # | Team | W-L | PCT | GB | Left | Magic | Clinch W | Tragic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samsung | 72-46-3 | .610 | - | 23 | 12 | 11 | - |
| 2 | KT | 69-46-3 | .600 | 1.5 | 26 | 15 | 14 | - |
| 3 | LG | 68-53-1 | .562 | 5.5 | 22 | 16 | 16 | - |
| 4 | KIA | 66-52-2 | .559 | 6.0 | 24 | 18 | 17 | - |
| 5 | Doosan | 62-57-4 | .521 | 10.5 | 21 | 22 | 20 | - |
| 6 | NC | 55-59-2 | .482 | 15.0 | 28 | - | - | 21 |
| 7 | Hanwha | 52-65-3 | .444 | 19.5 | 24 | - | - | 14 |
| 8 | SSG | 52-67-5 | .437 | 20.5 | 20 | - | - | 11 |
| 9 | Lotte | 51-66-2 | .436 | 20.5 | 25 | - | - | 14 |
| 10 | Kiwoom | 44-80-3 | .355 | 31.0 | 17 | - | - | Out |
Magic number = own wins plus 6th-place losses needed to clinch a top-5 spot. Clinch wins = wins that clinch regardless of every other result. Tragic number = further losses that make it mathematically impossible. 144 games; percentage excludes ties.
Magic number
For a club inside the top 5: the count left to clinch. It drops by one for each own win or 6th-place loss; zero means clinched.
Tragic number
The number of further losses after which a top-5 finish is impossible even by winning every remaining game. Zero means eliminated.
Clinch wins
Remaining wins that clinch a spot even if every rival wins out. Unlike the magic number, it counts nothing from other teams' results.
❓ FAQ
What is a magic number in baseball?
The number of results needed to clinch the postseason (KBO: top 5). Own wins and losses by the closest challenger each reduce it by one; at zero the spot is clinched.
How is the KBO magic number calculated?
Based on a 144-game season with 5 playoff spots: the wins needed to exceed the 6th-place club's best possible percentage, with 6th-place losses counting the same as own wins. Percentage is wins ÷ (wins + losses), ties excluded.
What is a tragic number?
The mirror of the magic number: further losses after which the club cannot finish top 5 even by winning out. Zero means eliminated.
What are the KBO magic numbers as of 2026-09-06?
As of September 6, 2026, Samsung leads the KBO League (72-46-3, .610) with KT second (69-46-3, .600). KBO winning percentage excludes ties: wins ÷ (wins + losses). As of September 6, 2026, Samsung needs 11 wins from its remaining 23 games to clinch a top-five (postseason) place regardless of every other result. As of September 6, 2026, KT needs 14 wins from its remaining 26 games to clinch a top-five (postseason) place regardless of every other result.