This article is part of our Dream11 Fantasy KBO series.
Kiwoom Heroes (10-10) at NC Dinos (16-3)
Thursday, May 28, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected Starters
LHP Jung Dae-hyun (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs LHP Kim Young-gyu (0-1, 3.94 ERA)
Game Preview
This matchup features a battle between two of last year's playoff teams. The Dinos, who were knocked out in the Wild Card round last season, have been the class of the league this year, outscoring their opponents by 2.9 runs per game on their way to a three-game lead at the top of the standings. The Heroes reached the Korean Series last season (where they were swept by the Bears) but haven't played up to that level so far this year, sitting at a mediocre 10-10 after dropping three straight, including the first two games of this series against the Dinos. With Jung Dae-hyun on the mound in this one, they may be hard-pressed to turn around their losing skid. Jung hasn't made a KBO appearance since 2017 and owns a career 6.63 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP in 363.2 innings in the league. The Dinos will send out the least-established member of their rotation, however, potentially giving the Heroes a chance. 20-year-old lefty Kim Young-gyu has a solid 3.94 ERA this season, striking out 12 batters in 16 innings while walking just one, though his 5.29 ERA and 1.70 WHIP in 66.1 innings as a rookie last season don't provide much reason for confidence.
Injuries
Mo Chang-min, Dinos - 10-Day IL - Shoulder
May 12 - Mo will miss
Kiwoom Heroes (10-10) at NC Dinos (16-3)
Thursday, May 28, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected Starters
LHP Jung Dae-hyun (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs LHP Kim Young-gyu (0-1, 3.94 ERA)
Game Preview
This matchup features a battle between two of last year's playoff teams. The Dinos, who were knocked out in the Wild Card round last season, have been the class of the league this year, outscoring their opponents by 2.9 runs per game on their way to a three-game lead at the top of the standings. The Heroes reached the Korean Series last season (where they were swept by the Bears) but haven't played up to that level so far this year, sitting at a mediocre 10-10 after dropping three straight, including the first two games of this series against the Dinos. With Jung Dae-hyun on the mound in this one, they may be hard-pressed to turn around their losing skid. Jung hasn't made a KBO appearance since 2017 and owns a career 6.63 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP in 363.2 innings in the league. The Dinos will send out the least-established member of their rotation, however, potentially giving the Heroes a chance. 20-year-old lefty Kim Young-gyu has a solid 3.94 ERA this season, striking out 12 batters in 16 innings while walking just one, though his 5.29 ERA and 1.70 WHIP in 66.1 innings as a rookie last season don't provide much reason for confidence.
Injuries
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.
Jake Brigham, Heroes - 10-Day IL - Elbow
May 27 - Brigham was placed on the injury list Wednesday due to elbow discomfort, Daniel Kim of DKTV reports. Brigham suffered said discomfort during a bullpen session and will go through a series of tests Thursday to determine the severity of the issue. The 32-year-old pitched to a 5.00 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in four starts before landing on the injured list.
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.
Heroes Projected Lineup
P Jung Dae-hyun
1. Seo Keon-chang
2. Kim Ha-seong
3. Lee Jeong-hoo
4. Park Byung-ho
5. Park Dong-won
6. Lee Ji-young
7. Lee Taek-keun
9. Kim Gyu-min
Dinos Projected Lineup
P Kim Young-gyu
1. Park Min-woo
2. Lee Myung-gi
3. Na Sung-bum
4. Yang Eui-ji
5. Park Suk-min
6. Kang Jin-sung
7. No Jin-hyuk
9. Kwon Hee-dong
Top Picks
Kim Young-gyu, Dinos: Kim isn't a particularly dominant arm, but he costs the same as his counterpart, Jung Dae-hyun, and is a much less risky option. Jung's 6.63 career ERA is simply too weak to consider starting him, especially against the strong Dinos lineup.
Yang Eui-ji, Dinos:Yang is the best catcher in the KBO and one of the league's best players at any position. He finished second in MVP voting last season and is off to a strong start this year, hitting .314 with 12 RBI in 16 games even while battling a handful of minor injuries.
Kang Jin-sung, Dinos: Kang has been one of the biggest surprises of the season. His seven-credit price reflects his reputation coming into the year, as he'd appeared in 117 generally unremarkable games split over four seasons. In 16 games this campaign, however, he's hitting an incredible .476 with five home runs.
Kim Ha-seong, Heroes: If you decide to have some faith in Jung Dae-hyun and build a Heroes-based lineup, Kim is your best bet as captain. The 24-year-old shortstop has hit just .239 this season, but he's walked 15 times while grabbing nine extra-base hits. There's plenty of reason to believe his batting average will rise soon, as well, as he owns a career .291 mark in that category.
Captaincy Options
1. Yang Eui-ji
2. Kang Jin-sung
3. Kim Ha-seong
Dream11 Team
P Kim Young-gyu
C Yang Eui-ji (C)
IF Park Suk-min
IF Kim Ha-seong
IF Kim Gyu-min
OF Na Sung-bum
OF Lee Jung-hoo
OF Kang Jin-sung (VC)
