This article is part of our Dream11 Fantasy KBO series.
Doosan Bears (29-20) at Kiwoom Heroes (31-19)
Thursday, July 2nd, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Jong Gi Park (1-1, 2.81 ERA) vs RHP Young Gun Jo (1-1, 6.87 ERA)
Game Preview
The Heroes and the Bears have been the league's two best teams in 2020 if we exclude the NC Dinos, and that's not something to take lightly given how even things have been in the KBO during the current campaign. The Bears won 14-5 during Wednesday's slate, and there is no question the Heroes will try to bounce back here. The recent 10-game form, however, favors Kiwoom – they have gone 8-2 in that stretch, while the Bears have "only" posted a 6-4 record in their last 10. The Bears will send righty Jong Gi Park to the mound, and he is coming off two strong starts. The Heroes will counter with Young Gun Jo, who has pitched to the tune of a 6.87 ERA in 2020.
Injuries
Bears
Jae Ho Kim - 10-Day IL - Shoulder
6/28 11:59 PM IST - Kim is dealing with a shoulder injury and was removed from Doosan's roster as a result, according to hankyung.com. It's not clear how long Kim will be sidelined, but he was unable to play Sunday and will miss more time. Min Seok Kwon is expected to fill in at shortstop in Kim's absence, and Kyoung Min Hur could see some action there as well.
Hyun Seung Lee - 10-Day IL - Hamstring
6/21 10:49 PM
Doosan Bears (29-20) at Kiwoom Heroes (31-19)
Thursday, July 2nd, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Jong Gi Park (1-1, 2.81 ERA) vs RHP Young Gun Jo (1-1, 6.87 ERA)
Game Preview
The Heroes and the Bears have been the league's two best teams in 2020 if we exclude the NC Dinos, and that's not something to take lightly given how even things have been in the KBO during the current campaign. The Bears won 14-5 during Wednesday's slate, and there is no question the Heroes will try to bounce back here. The recent 10-game form, however, favors Kiwoom – they have gone 8-2 in that stretch, while the Bears have "only" posted a 6-4 record in their last 10. The Bears will send righty Jong Gi Park to the mound, and he is coming off two strong starts. The Heroes will counter with Young Gun Jo, who has pitched to the tune of a 6.87 ERA in 2020.
Injuries
Bears
Jae Ho Kim - 10-Day IL - Shoulder
6/28 11:59 PM IST - Kim is dealing with a shoulder injury and was removed from Doosan's roster as a result, according to hankyung.com. It's not clear how long Kim will be sidelined, but he was unable to play Sunday and will miss more time. Min Seok Kwon is expected to fill in at shortstop in Kim's absence, and Kyoung Min Hur could see some action there as well.
Hyun Seung Lee - 10-Day IL - Hamstring
6/21 10:49 PM IST - The Bears placed Lee on the injured list prior to Sunday's 3-1 win over the Twins, citing a right hamstring injury, Jae-Hyun Noh of The Chosun Ilbo reports. Lee picked up the injury during his relief appearance Saturday when he struck out the lone batter he faced (Twins star Roberto Ramos) before exiting one pitch into his matchup with the next hitter, Yong Taik Park. The Bears called up Gyo Hoon Lee from the Futures League on Sunday to fill Lee's spot in the bullpen.
Yong Chan Lee - Out - Elbow
6/4 2:49 PM IST - Lee will undergo Tommy John surgery and is expected to miss at least a year, Daniel Kim of DKTV reports. Lee has started regularly for Doosan since 2018, but his 2020 season will come to an early and abrupt end as a result of his elbow injury. It remains to be seen who will enter the rotation in Lee's place, as the Giants have only needed five starting pitchers to date.
Chi Guk Park - Out - Not Injury Related
6/27 11:09 PM IST - Park was removed from the Bears' roster Saturday, according to hankyung.com. Park has thrown the ball well for Doosan, posting a 1.38 ERA over his last 13 appearances. However, he has also been busy, pitching in 22 of the Bears' first 46 games, so the team decided to give him a breather. Park figures to rejoin the first team at some point in early July.
Heroes
Jake Brigham - 10-Day IL - Elbow
6/21 10:44 PM IST - The Heroes aren't expecting Brigham (elbow) to return from the 10-day injured list until after July 10, The Chosun Ilbo reports. Though this report provides more specificity, it essentially aligns with one a few days earlier that suggested Brigham would likely remain out through at least early July. With Brigham on the shelf for three more weeks -- if not longer -- Young Gun Jo looks poised to continue serving as the Heroes' No. 5 starter.
Woong Bin Kim - 10-Day IL - Hamstring
6/8 9:38 PM IST - Kim will miss 4-to-6 weeks with a left hamstring injury, Soo Jin Park of Star News reports. Kim missed the start of the season while recovering from a forearm injury, and he is now looking at another absence after injuring his leg Sunday.
Byung Wook Lim - 10-Day IL - Hamstring
5/17 10:12 AM IST - Lim (hamstring) is expected to be sidelined 6-to-8 weeks, Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News reports. The 24-year-old went down during the second game of Saturday's doubleheader with a right hamstring injury, and he may end up spending two months on the injured list. Lim had a .278/.366/.389 slash line with four doubles and three stolen bases through 11 games.
Addison Russell - Out - Not Injury Related
6/22 8:34 PM IST - Russell, who agreed to a contract Friday with the Heroes, isn't expected to arrive in South Korea until mid-July, The Chosun Ilbo reports. Once the American infielder arrives in South Korea, he'll go through a KBO-mandated 14-day quarantine period before the Heroes plan to send him to their Futures League affiliate in late July. Since the 26-year-old hasn't been part of an organized team structure since being cut loose by MLB's Chicago Cubs in the fall, he could need several games in the Futures League to get his timing right at the plate, meaning he may not be ready to debut with the parent club until some point in early August. Once he gets acclimated to his new setting, Russell should settle into an everyday role for the Heroes at either second base or shortstop.
Bears' Expected Lineup
SP - Jong Gi Park
1. Kun Woo Park
3. Jae Il Oh
4. Jae Hwan Kim
7. Jae Won Oh
8. Se Hyuk Park
9. Soo Bin Jung
Heroes' Expected Lineup
SP - Young Gun Jo
2. Ha Seong Kim
3. Jung Hoo Lee
7. Hye Sung Kim
Top Picks
Jose Fernandez, Bears: Fernandez has slowed down a bit after a strong start to the season, but he remains one of the most feared sluggers in the KBO this season. Fernandez has had a lot of success against the Heroes in 2020 as well, going 7-for-9 with a home run and two RBI facing Kiwoom this season.
Jung Hoo Lee, Heroes: Lee has gone 1-for-10 in his last three games, but he has posted a .375 average with 10 RBI, three walks, a stolen base and just two strikeouts in his last 10 at-bats. He has been one of the league's most productive hitters over the last month -- .381/.430/.639 with three home runs and 15 RBI from June 2 onwards.
Jong Gi Park, Bears: Park has allowed just two earned runs in his last 11.1 innings across his last two starts, against the NC Dinos and at the LG Twins. Plus, he enters this matchup with a strong 2.81 ERA in 2020.
Ha Seong Kim, Heroes: Kim went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run during Wednesday's contest and has hit safely in six of his last seven games. He is an intriguing weapon at the top of the Heroes' order, and has hit .357 with nine RBI during that aforementioned seven-game stretch.
Captaincy Options
Dream11 Team
P – Jong Gi Park
C – Se Hyuk Park
IF – Jae Won Oh
IF – Jose Fernandez (C)
IF – Ha Seong Kim
IF – Jae Il Oh
OF – Jung Hoo Lee (VC)
OF – Soo Bin Jung
OF – Joon Tae Park
