Dream11 Fantasy KBO: Heroes at Dinos

Kiwoom Heroes (10-8) at NC Dinos (14-3)

Tuesday, May 26, 5:30 AM EDT

Projected Starters

LHP Lee Seung-ho (0-0, 4.91 ERA) vs LHP Koo Chang-mo (2-0, 0.41 ERA)

Game Preview

This game features a matchup between two of the best teams in the KBO. The visiting Heroes enter the series tied for fourth place after finishing as Korean Series runners up last year. Meanwhile, the Dinos have a three-game lead at the top of the standings, outscoring their opponents by 2.5 runs per game. A pair of young lefties will square off in this one. 21-year-old Lee Seung-ho takes the hill for the Heroes. He hasn't shown much this season or over the course of his three-year career, recording a 4.79 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP in 182.1 innings. Opposing him will be 23-year-old lefty Koo Chang-mo, one of the best pitchers in the league. He's been almost unbeatable this season, allowing just a single run in three starts, two of which have come against the league's top two lineups, the Bears and Wiz.

Injuries

Lim Byung-wook, Heroes - 10-Day IL - Hamstring

May 17 - 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.

Taylor Motter, Heroes - Out - Not Injury Related

May 16 - Motter was removed from Kiwoom's entry ahead of the club's doubleheader with the LG Twins, according to nocutnews.co.kr. In what amounts to a temporary demotion for Motter, Kiwoom granted him some personal time to spend with his wife, who went into mandatory quarantine upon entering Korea. Motter will be off the roster for at least 10 days, and in his absence Jeon Byung-woo and Kim Joo-hyung will share the third-base duties.

Mo Chang-min, Dinos - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

May 12 - Mo will miss the next two weeks as a result of his shoulder injury, KBO Analyst Jin-Hyeok Jang reports. Mo sat out NC's last game Sunday after injuring his shoulder in the club's previous game Friday, and it turns out he will miss extended time beyond that. Lee Won-jae, as well as another player or two, should see more action in Mo's absence.

Yang Eui-ji, Dinos - Day-To-Day - Neck

May 24 - Yang (neck) won't be in the lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Hanwha Eagles, Hyeong Rae Jo of OSEN reports. Yang endured a collision with a baserunner and was forced to exit Saturday's contest, and he'll miss at least one game while dealing with some neck stiffness. He'll have Monday's scheduled off day to aid in his recovery before potentially missing additional games. Kim Tae-goon will start behind the plate for the Dinos in his place.

Heroes Expected Lineup

P Lee Seung-ho

1. Seo Keon-chang

2. Kim Ha-seong

3. Lee Jung-hoo

4. Park Byung-ho

5. Lee Taek-keun

6. Park Dong-won

7. Kim Hye-sung

8. Lee Ji-young

9. Park Joon-tae

Dinos Expected Lineup

P Koo Chang-mo

1. Park Min-woo

2. Lee Myung-gi

3. Na Sung-bum

4. Yang Eui-ji

5. Park Suk-min

6. No Jin-hyuk

7. Kang Jin-sung

8. Aaron Altherr

9. Kwon Hee-dong

Top Picks

Koo Chang-mo, Dinos: You'll rarely find an easier pitcher choice than this one. While the Heroes have plenty of talented hitters, Koo has looked unstoppable this season, striking out 32.9 percent of opposing batters while holding them to a .111 batting average. He would be the choice even if he were quite expensive, but at just eight credits (compared to 13.5 for Lee Seung-ho) there's little reason to give this one a second thought.

Park Dong-won, Heroes: The Dinos' Yang Eui-ji is the best catcher in the KBO, though he comes with a bit of risk in this one after missing Sunday's game with a neck injury. Park is a strong catcher in his own right and has gotten off to an excellent start, hitting .339 with four homers. He'll also save you four credits compared to Yang.

Park Suk-min, Dinos: Many of the Dinos' top hitters bat left-handed, making the right-handed Park the best captain candidate with the lefty Lee on the mound for the Heroes (though Yang Eui-ji also deserves consideration if you aren't worried about his injury). Park, who typically bats fifth, has homered four times this season while hitting .271, his best mark since the 2016 campaign.

Kim Ha-seong, Heroes: If you're siding with the underdogs in this one, Kim looks like a strong captain choice. The shortstop, who has MLB aspirations, has scored 16 runs in 18 games this season, driving himself in with a home run three times.

Captaincy Options

1. Koo Chang-mo

2. Park Suk-min

3. Kim Ha-seong

Dream11 Team

P Koo Chang-mo (C)

C Park Dong-won

IF Park Suk-min (VC)

IF Kim Ha-seong

IF Park Byung-ho

IF Park Min-woo

OF Na Sung-bum

OF Aaron Altherr

OF Kang Jin-sung