DFS KBO: Tuesday Cheat Sheet

The KBO kicks off a new week with a five-game slate that features multiple ex-MLB pitchers taking the mound. Some of them shape up as targets thanks to recent struggles, and there are other exploitable arms on the hill as well. That gives us a solid array of bats to choose from, and with three games sporting projected double-digit run totals, there are a couple of stacks worth considering.

As customary, I'll highlight two solid 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

Casey Kelly ($10,000) comes into Tuesday's game on a streak of four straight quality starts, a stretch during which he's scored 22.7 to 24.8 DK points in three of those outings. The right-hander's numbers are a bit less impressive than in his 2019 KBO debut campaign, but he's still doing a very good job keeping the ball in the park (0.75 HR/9) and has put together 12 quality starts overall. He does bring an element of risk in that he struggled in his one prior start against Samsung this season, but the Lions come in averaging the third-fewest runs (4.9) and hits (9.1) per game, and their 0.89 HR per game is the third-lowest figure in that category as well.

Odrisamer Despaigne ($8,900) is also rolling along at this point in the season, as he's just one earned run away from having churned out quality starts in five of his last six trips to the mound. The veteran right-hander has been most effective at home as well, posting a 4-2 record, 3.31 ERA and average of 16.1 DK points in eight starts. Additionally, Despaigne has been highly effective against the Heroes in two starts this season, posting a 2.08 ERA, .235 BAA and 13:3 K:BB across 13 innings.   

ALSO CONSIDER: Geon Wook Lee ($8,100)

Top Targets

Sung Bum Na ($6,000) has been a terror both at home and against Eagles pitching, making him one of the top targets if you're paying up Tuesday. The slugger owns a .365/.432/.665 slash with 28 XBH (including 11 homers) and 39 RBI over 41 home contests, and he's tormented Hanwha arms for a .391/.451/.804 line in 11 games. Na is also hitting .313 with runners in scoring position and he's racked up five double-digit DK fantasy-point tallies in the last six contests.

Baek Ho Kang ($5,200) is hitting .308 with two home runs and four RBI over the last 10 games, and he sports a .315/.408/.591 line with eight homers and 25 RBI across 36 home games. Kiwoom starter Jake Brigham has been a solid starter throughout the season, but he's allowed four homers and allowed a .517 average and 538 wOBA to the 37 left-handed hitters he faced with the Atlanta Braves during his one MLB stint back in 2015. Like many sluggers, Kang does strike out quite a bit, but he offers no shortage of upside with 31 extra-base hits (16 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs) and 48 RBI.

Jun Woo Jeon ($4,300) sports a nice price for a player that has 36 extra-base hits (21 doubles, one triple, 15 home runs) and 56 RBI across 84 games. The veteran belted 33 and 22 homers in the last two seasons, so his current power surge is legitimate. Jeon has also thrived versus the Wyverns this season, as evidenced by a .355/.447/.613 line that includes two doubles, two home runs and eight RBI over eight games.

ALSO CONSIDER: Mel Rojas ($6,500); Jose Fernandez ($6,000); Eui Ji Yang ($5,500); Hyun Soo Kim ($5,500); Jeong Choi ($5,300); Jamie Romak ($4,200)

Bargain Bats

Sang Su Kim ($3,800) is averaging a solid 8.2 DK points per game for the season, a figure that's the byproduct of a .327/.428/.438 line that includes 21 XBH and eight stolen bases. He's also been at his best at home and against Twins pitching, as he owns a .336 average over 41 home contests and a .455 mark (15-for-33) over nine games versus LG. While Kelly is a formidable matchup as the opposing pitcher, Kim's price is such that he carries very little risk.

Dong Min Han ($3,700) brings plenty of power and therefore continues to be a consideration Tuesday. The veteran saw a five-game streak of double-digit fantasy points snapped Sunday, but he's still carrying a .281/.465/.563 line with three homers, four RBI, 10 walks and 11 runs over his last 10 games. Lotte starter Adrian Sampson is a tantalizing target as well, as the right-hander has posted a 6.75 ERA and 1.75 WHIP while allowing 81 hits over 56 innings in his first year in Korea.

Stack to Consider

Wyverns vs. Adrian Sampson: Jeong Choi ($5,300); Dong Min Han ($3,700); Jamie Romak ($4,200); Tyler White ($2,300)

As mentioned earlier, Sampson has proven extremely hittable in his brief KBO career thus far, and he came overseas after having allowed 2.4 and 2.1 HR/9s over his last two MLB seasons with the Rangers. Meanwhile, while the Wyverns are far from an offensive powerhouse, they've popped off on occasion and belted a decent 80 homers over 90 games.

Choi is responsible for a lot of those round trippers, as he has belted 22 homers and has pair of 40-homer campaigns on his career resume. The veteran also checks in with an elite .415 OBP and is averaging an impressive 9.7 DK points for the season. What's more, half of Choi's homers have come on the road, where he also owns a .301/.435/.582 slash across 43 games.

Han's combination of upside and bargain salary was already discussed earlier in his entry, while Romak comes in with a red-hot bat. Romak owns a .364/.511/.576 slash with two home runs and 10 RBI over his last 10 games, a stretch during which he's recorded double-digit DK points on five occasions.

Finally, White is an intriguing option at a ridiculously low salary if he's in the lineup. The former Houston Astros first baseman was often a solid hitter stateside, so he could very well thrive against the KBO's caliber of competition. He's set up well against another former MLB arm in Sampson, who yielded a .328/.379/.637 slash with 25 homers and a .416 wOBA to the 377 right-handed hitters he faced during his two seasons with the Rangers.

Bears vs. Min Woo Lee: Jose Fernandez ($6,000); Jae Il Oh ($4,300); Jae Hwan Kim ($5,400); Joo Hwan Choi ($4,000)

Lee has struggled to a 5.48 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and .286 BAA across 15 starts this season, allowing nine homers and posting a 3.3 BB/9 over 82 innings. The Bears have contributed to some of those numbers, as they've tormented Lee to the tune of a 6.40 ERA over a pair of prior encounters. Doosan also comes in averaging an impressive 5.9 runs per game, along with KBO-best figures in hits per game (10.5) and team batting average (.297).

Fernandez makes for an excellent way to start your stack, as his .361/.422/.549 line, 21 doubles, 16 home runs and 74 RBI all underscore his massive upside. While Fernandez has actually been at his best on the road, he checks in with a blistering .349 average and 11 RBI over his last 10 games and a .368 average against Kia in nine games this season.

Oh's salary and production continue to be completely out of synch, as he comes in carrying a .339/.398/.529 line for the season, one partly comprised of 31 XBH, including 11 homers. Like Fernandez, he's also frequently been a thorn in the side of his opponent, posting a .361 average over nine contests this season.

Kim has a tally of 30 XBH on the season and has driven in 71 runs over 86 games, with his .305 average with runners in scoring position a big reason for gaudy RBI tally. Kim also has a pair of 20-fantasy-point tallies in the last 10 contests, providing a glimpse of the upside he offers.

Finally, Choi is another good value play along the lines of his teammate Oh, as he brings a .297/.361/.461 slash and 31 XBH to the table, along with 54 RBI in 88 games. Just as appealing is his .341 average with runners in scoring position, which makes him a threat for a double-digit fantasy-point tally any time he takes the field.