A grand slam kept us from a clean sweep day on Friday, but it's fitting as it was one of the sweatier slate of games that we've had recently. All four of LG, SK, Kia, and Kiwoom's bullpens were very shaky in the later half of their games but they held tough and got us a winning Friday! We venture into the weekend so good luck, play smart, and most importantly have fun!
- Friday, June 26: 2-1
- 2020 KBO Season: 64-39-1 (61.5%)
I can't stress it enough that if you're reading my analysis to make the best decision for you and not just blindly tail. If you don't feel comfortable with one of my picks, why would you take it? I'm not a professional, nor have I said to be one, I just value stats and information to make educated decisions. For new and old readers, just assume that every pick is one unit. Not only is this league volatile, but the game of baseball is incredibly volatile. Bankroll management is key.
Today, I'll be bringing you my KBO analysis, advice, and best bets for games on Saturday, June 27th starting at 4:00 am EST. If you haven’t already, check out www.mykbostats.com; it’s is a fantastic one-stop-shop for us in America to get our KBO fix. You can also check out our KBO DFS lineup picks article after this one. Also, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @RotoStevieJ to talk shop or chew me out if a pick loses.
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LG Twins (-127) at SK Wyverns
O/U: 9.5
Probable Pitchers
LG: Chan-heon Jeong (3-1, 3.34 ERA)
SK: Ricardo Pinto (3-3, 4.26 ERA)
LG is in a tough spot right now. They've lost seven straight and registered just three hits in Friday's 7-0 loss. Missing three regular starters, this should come as no surprise as guys like Roberto Ramos and Hyun-soo Kim can only do so much. Ramos hasn't hit a home run since June11, but he has 11 hits and six RBI in his L10, so it's not like he's not trying his darnedest. Behind him is shortstop Ji-hwan Oh, who is on a sizable 11-game hit streak. These Twins are in a funk for sure but there is still some talent in the lineup.
Chan-heon Jeong is one of LG's better starting options though three of his first five starts have come against Hanwha and Samsung, two bottom tier offenses. He hasn't allowed more than three earned runs or seven hits in any start and also carries some solid stuff with a 27/9 K/BB. His best outing was against Samsung June 4 when he shutout Samsungs over seven frames with 11 strikeouts and one walk. The 2008 first overall pick had spent the entirety of his career in the bullpen, until this year, which is interesting for a 30-year-old. However, he's making good on his new role.
SK's 7-0 win was their second consecutive shutout victory but just their second total win in the L10. Over that stretch they have a -18 run differential and average just four runs per game with five of those being played at home. However, that is directly in line with their four runs per game average in 25 games at home this season. Jamie Romak's play has seen a boost over the last week and he slugged his eighth homer on Friday but only one other regular starter has over a .280 average. Simply put, having a +14 run differential in the last two games is an aberration.
Ricardo Pinto is set to make his 10th KBO start Saturday and the Venezuelan still has some work to do. Sure he's got six quality starts in nine attempts, but the 1.70 WHIP and 31/27 K/BB are a little worrisome. He's faced LG twice so far and has given up five earned runs over 10.2 innings. His first start against them (May 13) was a disaster where he allowed 10 runs but only three were earned. The 26-year-old has five starts with less than three runs allowed so there is certainly talent here, but much of it relies on his control and whether or not he gets hit around the yard.
I think both of these pitchers bring their "A" game. LG is banged up and struggling at the plate because of it, meanwhile SK has been oddly producing at the plate the last two games but the numbers say it likely won't continue. We'll keep the bullpens out of this one.
Pick: First 5 Innings Under 5.5 (-137, Draftkings Sportbook)
KT Wiz (-182) at Hanwha Eagles
O/U: 9.5
Probable Pitchers
KT: William Cuevas (2-2, 5.05 ERA)
Hanwha: Min-woo Kim (0-4, 5.36 ERA)
If you said the KT Wiz were 6-4 in their L10, I likely wouldn't have believed you. Somedays the offense shows up, some days they don't. There's very little consistency and the pitching staff is a mess. However, there are two constants within the lineup, Mel Rojas Jr. and Baek-ho Kang. Rojas hit his league-leading 16th homer on Friday and third in a week, while Kang has hit safely in nine of his L10. The Wiz have scored the third most runs per game (5.6) in the L10 and average exactly five rpg on the road.
Min-woo Kim is one of, if not the worst pitcher on the slate. After an ok start to 2020 where he only allowed one run in his first two starts, he has since given up 20 runs across the last five outings. A 5.71 FIP should have you heading for the hills, especially when you consider that the 24-year-old has given up at least one home run in five of his eight appearances this year. Sure he has a 40/15 K/BB which means he has some decent stuff, but it's his currently career-low 1.39 WHIP hints that his overall performance is due to regress closer to the 1.69 he's averaged over the last two seasons.
KT hits righties at a .277 clip with a .281 average on the road, so Kim is a perfect arm to target them against. I'd lean the game over here too, but I don't have any sort of confidence in expecting Hanwha to score even a couple of runs; they're a total crapshoot.
Pick(s): KT Team Total Over 5.5 (-108, Draftkings Sportsbook)
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