DFS KBO: Thursday Cheat Sheet

The KBO's stretch run continues Thursday with a five-game slate featuring 15-game winner Raul Alcantara at the top and a couple of other lower-priced arms that line up for potentially successful performances. We've also got only two games with double-digit projected run totals -- certainly unusual for KBO play -- but there are still several bats in favorable matchups.

As customary, I'll highlight what I consider to be two of the safer pitching options at different price points, followed by some one-off hitters across the salary scale that could also prove profitable for cash games and/or tournaments. I'll then break down the two stacks that I trust the most to potentially string some above-average offensive numbers together and pay off for you in tournaments.

Pitchers

Raul Alcantara ($10,800) is the highest-priced arm on the slate as usual, but once again, he's deserving of that distinction, particularly in the matchup he finds himself in Thursday. The former MLB right-hander faces a Wyverns team that's averaging the second-fewest runs (4.3) and hits (8.3) per game, while also posting the second-lowest team batting average (.249). Alcantara posted a quality start and 20.7 DK points in his only other encounter with SK thus far this season, and he's averaged an impressive 18.2 DK points per his eight road turns.

Chan Heon Jung ($9,000) comes at a nice discount over Alcantara and is in a good spot as well, as he's facing a Lions squad that he's already generated a 1.39 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and .204 BAA against across 13 innings over two starts this season. Jung is also at home, where he owns an impressive 3.35 ERA and has allowed just one home run over 40.1 frames this season. Samsung is spiraling at this point of the season with a 52-66-2 mark, and the Lions are also averaging a modest (by KBO standards) 4.9 runs per game.  

ALSO CONSIDER: Je Seong Bae ($5,700)

Top Targets

Mel Rojas Jr. ($6,300) is one of several hitters near the top of the salary scale that are very worthy of consideration Thursday, but none may be hotter than the Wiz slugger. Rojas is now slashing a jaw-dropping .472/.512/1.000 with five homers and 14 RBI over his last 10 games after posting his seventh straight double-digit fantasy-point tally Wednesday. Rojas is also hitting .358 (19-for-53) over 14 prior contests against Lotte pitching, and he's belted 19 of his 42 homers on the road this season.  

Jae Hwan Kim ($5,700) has eight RBI over his last 10 games, pushing him over the 100-mark for the campaign for the fourth time in the last five games. Kim has also been a far better hitter on the road (.294/.396/.521 slash with 14 homers and 54 RBI across 63 games) and has thrived versus Wyverns pitching this season – in 15 games against SK, Kim has a .385/.477/.712 line, five doubles, four home runs, 24 RBI and four steals.

Hyung Woo Choi ($4,800) boasts a .347/.424/.563 line with 55 XBH and 92 RBI over 121 games, numbers that are worthy of a much higher salary. Choi has also averaged 11.4 DK points on the strength of four homers and 12 RBI over his last 10 games, and he's carrying a .984 OPS across 59 home games. Choi also draws a good matchup versus Hanwha starter Min Woo Kim, who's posted a 5.07 ERA, 1.65 WHIP and a 1.4 HR/9 across 65.2 innings on the road this season.

ALSO CONSIDER: Jose Fernandez ($6,000); Eui Ji Yang ($5,900); Sung Bum Na ($5,800); Baek Ho Kang ($5,600); Kyoung Min Hur ($5,500); Preston Tucker ($5,100); Jae Il Oh ($4,400)

Bargain Bats

Jin Sung Kang ($4,000) sports a .311/.349/.479 line with 21 doubles, 12 home runs and 61 RBI over 103 games, making him extremely reasonably priced Thursday. He also owns a .333 average with runners in scoring position and has dominated Heroes pitching this season, compiling a .366/.395/.537 line against Kiwoom over 15 games. The matchup versus Heroes starter Seung Ho Lee is an attractive one, as the southpaw was hit hard in his one previous home start this season and has yielded a 1.2 HR/9 and elevated .284 opponent batting average over 104.1 innings this season.

Hae Min Park ($2,900) is up against my second main pitching recommendation in Jung, but I still like the combination of his minuscule salary and upside, particularly for tournaments. Park's .301/.350/.428 line on the season warrants a much higher salary, and in addition to his 31 XBH and 46 RBI this season, he's also stolen an impressive 25 bases, leading to a solid average of 8.1 DK points per contest.

ALSO CONSIDER: Eun Sung Chae ($3,800)

Stacks to Consider

Bears vs. Young Woo Jo: Jose Fernandez ($6,000); Joo Hwan Choi ($4,900); Jae Hwan Kim ($5,700); Jae Il Oh ($4,400)

Jo checks in with an elevated 5.68 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and .305 BAA over 65 innings this season, and he's yielded a .313 opponent average in 16 home starts. Meanwhile, the Bears have already punished him for a .300 average, 8.31 ERA and 1.62 WHIP in three prior encounters with him.

Fernandez is an excellent way to start off your stack, as he's carrying a .342/.403/.498 line with 45 XBH and 90 RBI into this matchup. The slugger has been at his best on the road (.353 average, 10.8 DK points per game) and has hit .344 (21-for-61) with two homers and 11 RBI in 15 other games against SK.

Choi sports a .309/.370/.478 line with 27 doubles, four triples, 14 homers and 77 RBI in 125 games this season and comes in with a particularly hot bat, as he's hitting .378 (14-for-37) and owns a 1.142 OPS and average of 11.1 DK points per contest over the last 10 games.

Kim's positive attributes were already covered earlier in his entry, and Oh makes for a very cost-effective way to round out your stack. The veteran infielder is hitting .367 with runners in scoring position and sports a .303/.379/.477 slash with 26 doubles, 15 homers and 77 RBI across 462 plate appearances this season. Oh has also done the majority of his damage on the road, where he's carrying a .344/.411/.586 line and has belted 12 of his 15 homers.

Wiz vs. Kyung Eun Noh: Jeong Dae Bae ($4,200); Jae Gyun Hwang ($5,100); Mel Rojas ($6,300); Baek Ho Kang ($5,600)

Noh has had the most trouble this season in his home park, where he's posted a 5.28 ERA and 1.63 WHIP across 59.2 innings in 11 appearances (nine starts). The Wiz comes in with an impressive .283 team batting average and averaging 5.5 runs per game.

Bae won't cost you much and brings plenty of upside at his salary, as he's slugged 40 XBH and driven in 61 runs while also stealing 20 bases over 126 games on his way to a .299/.380/.447 slash line. He's also hitting .302 (16-for-53) in 14 previous games against the Giants.

Hwang's status should be monitored, as he missed Wednesday's game with back soreness. Assuming he's back in action Thursday, he makes for a very strong play based on his .310/.370/.504 season line that's partly comprised of  52 XBH, 82 RBI and 11 steals across 116 games.

Rojas' appeal was already discussed in detail in his entry, and Kang is another high-upside, potent bat to round out the stack with. He's averaging 9.9 DK points per game for the season and is hitting .400 (16-for-40) with four homers and 11 RBI over the last 10 contests in particular. The lefty slugger has 22 homers on the season overall and is hitting .302 with runners in scoring position, furthering his case.