This article is part of our DraftKings KBO series.
The KBO kicks off a new week with another exciting five-game slate Tuesday that features a trio of former MLB arms that have enjoyed varying degrees of success this season. There are also several potentially vulnerable pitchers to considering exploiting, and the Dinos and Heroes, two of the top three offensive clubs in the league, have the advantage of playing in their home parks.
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 recommend two stacks that I trust the most to potentially string some above-average offensive numbers together and pay off for you in tournaments.
Pitchers
Aaron Brooks ($8,300) only has a 2-4 mark, but his 3.29 ERA speaks to the fact he's had a couple of tough losses. Brooks has had a couple of legitimately poor starts as well, but those have come against the potent Dinos and Bears lineups. The right-hander checks into Tuesday's matchup versus the light-hitting Eagles with three straight quality starts and five such outings in the last six. Brooks has also compiled over 15 DK points in five of his 10 starts, and Hanwha comes into Tuesday's game last in the KBO in runs per game (4.2), hits per game (7.8) and team batting average (.237), while also hitting the second-fewest home runs (21). With the highest-salaried pitcher on the slate, Ariel Miranda, in an unenviable matchup against the Dinos and requiring a $10K investment, Brooks makes for an intriguing pivot.
Young Pyo Ko ($7,900) is averaging an impressive 15.6 DK points per contest and owns a respectable 3.96 ERA and 1.12 WHIP, along with a modest 0.7 HR/9. The veteran right-hander has averaged a solid 14.4 DK points in his pair of road starts and was excellent in one previous start against the Twins, allowing an earned run on two hits while recording five strikeouts over six innings on April 7. LG hasn't gotten much better offensively since then, as they check in averaging the third-fewest runs (4.4) and second-fewest hits (8.3) per game while also posting the second-lowest team batting average (.249).
Top Targets
Baek Ho Kang ($6,000) has a same-handed matchup against Sang Yung Lee, but that hardly matters considering how scalding hot a bat the slugging first baseman is wielding. Kang is slashing an absurd .412/.493/.588 while also posting 17 XBH and 44 RBI, the latter figure a result of a jaw-dropping .418 average with runners in scoring position. Kang has been better at home, but he's still hitting an impressive .353 on the road and has punished LG pitching for a .417 average in six head-to-head matchups. Lee has also given up three home runs over his first 20 innings and has already issued 12 walks over that span as well, strengthening Kang's case.
Eui Ji Yang ($5,000) is actually sporting a lower salary than usual for a battle against the talented Ariel Miranda. However, it's an opposite-handed matchup for Yang, and he checks into the game with an elite .345/.459/.649 slash line that includes 22 XBH and 44 RBI, along with a .455 average with runners in scoring position. Yang also owns a 1.085 OPS at home, and he has four tallies of at least 20 DK points in his last 10 games alone. Miranda was hit hard by the Dinos in his one prior start against them (five ER on nine hits and three walks over six innings) and just snapped a three-start streak of allowing a home run.
Jun Woo Jeon ($4,500) sports a very reasonable salary for player that carries a .321 average, .838 OPS and average of 8.2 DK points per game. Jeon is hitting .329 and averaging 8.4 DK points in his 21 road games, and he's tagged Kiwoom pitching for a .417 average over his first three games against the Heroes. Opposing starter Woo Jin An has pitched to a 4.59 ERA and 1.50 WHIP while also allowing one home run in each of his last three starts, strengthening Jeon's case at a very reasonable investment.
Bargain Bats
Kyoung Min Heo ($4,000) is off to his usual strong start, slashing .329/.374/.428 with eight doubles, three home runs and 17 RBI across 43 games. The veteran has also been an excellent contact hitter, striking out just 13 times over his first 187 plate appearances. Dinos starter Min Hyeok Shin is coming off having allowed six earned runs on 12 hits over 5.1 innings to the Lions and has allowed a .358 batting average in five home appearances (two starts), while Heo has been excellent on the road with a .358 average and .909 OPS across 22 away contests.
Woo Hyun Song ($3,200) has only left the yard once this season, but he's still averaging a solid 7.1 DK points per game thanks in large part to his eight doubles, one triple and .421 average with runners in scoring position. The second-year outfielder has been at his best at home by far, averaging 9.1 DK points on the strength of an .884 OPS across 17 games there. Giants starter Gyun An Na is an opposite-handed matchup for the lefty-swinging Song, and he comes in with an elevated .279 BAA and 1.50 WHIP across his six appearances (two starts).
Stacks to Consider
Wiz vs. Sang Yung Lee: Yong Ho Cho ($3,900); Jung Dae Bae ($5,100); Baek Ho Kang ($6,000); Zoilo Almonte ($3,700)
Lee's recent vulnerability to the long ball and control issues were both already detailed in Kang's entry, and the Wiz checks in averaging the second-most runs (5.6) and third-most hits (9.5) per contest while also tying with the Lions for second-highest team batting average (.276).
Cho makes for an excellent way to kick off the stack, as he's under $4K despite his solid .279 average and elite .418 OBP. The veteran offers no power – he's yet to hit a home run in his KBO career – but he's hit a blistering .439 with runners in scoring position, leading to him compiling 22 RBI despite usually working out of the leadoff spot.
Bae has followed up his breakout 2020 with a strong start to the current season, as he's slashing .301/.421/.393 with 11 XBH, 20 RBI and six steals across his first 45 games. The veteran is also hitting .312 over 22 away games, and he has a pair of double-digit point DK-point tallies in his last six games alone.
Kang's positive attributes were already covered earlier, while Almonte makes for a viable and cost-effective way to round out the stack. The former MLB prospect is hitting .297 and averaging 7.2 DK points over his last 10 games, and he sports a solid .281 average and .742 OPS across 45 games. He checks in wielding a hot bat, as he has three multi-hit outings in his last four games and four double-digit DK-point tallies in his last nine contests as well.
Heroes vs. Gyun An Na: Hye Seong Kim ($5,400); Geon Chang Seo ($3,600); Jung Hoo Lee ($5,700); Dong Won Park ($5,200)
Na has a solid 3.68 ERA but an elevated 1.50 WHIP, and he's allowed 17 hits over 14. 2 innings while posting a mediocre 9:5 K:BB. The right-hander is also facing a Heroes squad that's averaging the third-most runs per game (5.4) and has a solid .264 team batting average.
Kim is averaging an impressive 9.9 DK points per game while posting a .287 average, .747 OPS, 11 XBH and 21 RBI. The infielder is averaging 14 DK points in three games against Giants pitching as well, and he's hitting a red-hot .429 and averaging 11.7 DK points per game over the last 10 contests. It's also worth noting Kim is excellent on the basepaths, having swiped 20 bags in as many attempts.
Seo continues to carry a steal of a salary, considering he sports a .291 average and .403 OBP over his first 45 games. The infielder has enjoyed early success against Lotte pitching as well, as he's gone 4-for-8 and averaged 12 DK points in his first two games against the Giants this season.
Lee checks in with an average of 10.2 DK points on the season, and he boasts a .364 average and .947 OPS across 22 home games. Lee is averaging an excellent 12.3 DK points over his first three games against the Giants as well, and he comes into Tuesday's matching with five double-digit DK-point tallies in his last 10 games alone.
Finally, Park is one of the better hitting catchers in the league outside of Yang, as he checks in with a .290 average and 1.006 OPS, numbers that are partly comprised of six doubles, nine home runs and 22 RBI. The 31-year-old also checks in on a hot streak, as he's hit .417 and averaged 12.1 DK points on the strength of five homers over his last 10 games.
