This article is part of our Dream11 Fantasy KBO series.
Samsung Lions (12-15) at SK Wyverns (8-18)
Friday, Jun 5, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Kim Dae-woo (0-1, 4.50 ERA) vs RHP Ricardo Pinto (2-2, 4.71 ERA)
Game Preview
This matchup features a pair of bottom-half teams, though both have provided at least some reason for optimism recently. The Lions sit sixth in the standings but have won six of their last eighth games, taking two out of three against both of the league's top two sides, the Dinos and Twins. The Wyverns are still stuck in ninth following their horrendous start but had won five straight before dropping a pair of games to the league-leading Dinos. A pair of unreliable starters will take the mound in this one, a game which looks like it could go either way. The Lions' Kim Dae-woo has a respectable enough 4.50 ERA in 16 innings this season, but his 9.7 percent strikeout rate is quite poor and his identical 9.7 percent walk rate isn't good either. The Wyverns' Ricardo Pinto has the clout that comes with being a former MLB player, but he hasn't looked like one through his first five starts overseas, struggling to a 4.71 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP. Like Kim, his strikeout and walk rates are identical, both coming in at a very uninspiring 12.5 percent.
Injuries
Koo Ja-wook, Lions - 10-Day IL - Thigh
May 26 - Koo will be out four weeks with his left thigh injury, KBO analyst Jin-Hyeok Jang reports. The news regarding Koo's
Samsung Lions (12-15) at SK Wyverns (8-18)
Friday, Jun 5, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Kim Dae-woo (0-1, 4.50 ERA) vs RHP Ricardo Pinto (2-2, 4.71 ERA)
Game Preview
This matchup features a pair of bottom-half teams, though both have provided at least some reason for optimism recently. The Lions sit sixth in the standings but have won six of their last eighth games, taking two out of three against both of the league's top two sides, the Dinos and Twins. The Wyverns are still stuck in ninth following their horrendous start but had won five straight before dropping a pair of games to the league-leading Dinos. A pair of unreliable starters will take the mound in this one, a game which looks like it could go either way. The Lions' Kim Dae-woo has a respectable enough 4.50 ERA in 16 innings this season, but his 9.7 percent strikeout rate is quite poor and his identical 9.7 percent walk rate isn't good either. The Wyverns' Ricardo Pinto has the clout that comes with being a former MLB player, but he hasn't looked like one through his first five starts overseas, struggling to a 4.71 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP. Like Kim, his strikeout and walk rates are identical, both coming in at a very uninspiring 12.5 percent.
Injuries
Koo Ja-wook, Lions - 10-Day IL - Thigh
May 26 - Koo will be out four weeks with his left thigh injury, KBO analyst Jin-Hyeok Jang reports. The news regarding Koo's injury has gotten progressively worse, as he went from leaving a game with a sore thigh, to missing the next game altogether, to being removed from the roster and now being ruled out for a month. Koo has gotten off to a fast start this season, so his extended absence certainly won't help a Lions team looking to keep pace in the standings.
Lee Won-seok, Lions - Day-To-Day - Thumb
June 4 - Lee went 1-for-2 with a base hit before exiting in the bottom of the fourth inning of Thursday's 11-0 loss to the Twins with a bruised right thumb, Hyun-seok Jeong of The Chosun Ilbo reports. One day after he registered a career-high eight RBI, Lee was knocked out of the series finale after he was drilled in the hand by a hard-hit grounder off the bat of the Twins' Chae Eun-sung. Lee was replaced by Lee Sung-gyu and sent to the hospital for further evaluation after sustaining the injury, but X-rays cleared the third baseman of a fracture, according to Jeong. He can be viewed as day-to-day heading into Friday's series opener with the Wyverns.
Chae Tae-in, Wyverns - 10-Day IL - Ribs
May 12 - Chae will be out six weeks with a right intercostal injury, KBO analyst Jin-Hyeok Jang reports. Chae has not played frequently for SK this season, but the club will be a bit thin at first base until he recovers from his injury. They should be just fine in his absence, though, as fellow first baseman Jamie Romak has started every game at the position to date.
Han Dong-min, Wyverns - 10-Day IL - Lower Leg
May 29 - Han's shin injury is not as serious as originally thought, so he will return sooner than the original 6-to-8 week timetable, Jae-geun Jeong of Sportschosun.com reports. He was first diagnosed with a microfracture in his right shin bone, but the Wyverns are now saying that Han is out indefinitely with a bruise.
Kim Chang-pyung, Wyverns - 10-Day IL - Shoulder
May 26 - Kim will miss at least a few days with the left shoulder injury he suffered Sunday, according to OSEN. The Wyverns placed Kim on the injured list because KBO rules allow them to bring him back as soon as he is healthy, but he may not be out long, as the team will reevaluate his progress in 3-to-4 days.
Ko Jong-wook, Wyverns - Out - Ankle
May 26 - Ko's recovery from his ankle injury will take longer than expected, and he is now expected to be sidelined until sometime in June, Tae Woo Kim of SPOTV News reports. Ko's original recovery timetable gave him a chance to get back on the field before May came to a close, but he will need a bit more time to get back to 100 percent.
Lee Jae-won, Wyverns - 10-Day IL - Thumb
May 7 - Lee exited Thursday's 8-4 loss to Hanwha with a fractured right thumb, Jeeho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency reports. SK Wyverns has yet to announce a timeline for Lee's return. Lee was hitless in his first two at-bats before he sustained the injury when he was hit by a pitch in his third plate appearance of the day. SK Wyverns will presumably send Lee in for more tests to determine whether surgery is necessary, but even if he avoids a procedure, he appears likely to miss time on account of the injury. Lee's expected absence further thins a weak KBO catcher pool in which the 32-year-old stood out as one of the top fantasy options coming off a 12-homer, 75-RBI 2019 season. Hyun-seok Lee replaced Jae-won in Thursday's game and would presumably be in store for regular work behind the dish while the latter is sidelined.
Lions Expected Lineup
P Kim Dae-woo
1. Kim Sang-su
2. Park Chan-do
4. Lee Won-seok
5. Lee Hak-ju
6. Kim Dong-yeop
7. Lee Sung-gyu
8. Kang Min-ho
9. Kim Heon-gon
Wyverns Expected Lineup
1. Noh Soo-kwang
2. Choi Ji-hoon
3. Choi Jeong
4. Jamie Romak
5. Jeong Jin-gi
6. Jeong Eui-yoon
7. Choi Joon-woo
8. Lee Hong-gu
9. Jung Hyun
Top Picks
Ricardo Pinto, Wyverns: Both pitchers have similarly poor numbers this season, which could be an argument for saving 3.5 credits and going with Kim Dae-woo. Pinto's MLB experience tips the scales in his favor, though, as does the fact that he's allowed just four runs in 13 innings across his last two starts.
Choi Jeong, Wyverns: Choi started the season terribly, but his fortunes have picked up lately alongside those of his team. After hitting .125 through his first 17 games, he's hit .393 while posting a .575 on-base percentage over his last nine contests.
Jamie Romak, Wyverns: Like Choi, Romak has improved following a slow start. After recording a modest .747 OPS over his first 20 games, he's recorded a 1.261 OPS over his last six.
Tyler Saladino, Lions: Saladino would be my top choice for captain if I were building a Lions-based lineup. He's picked things up after a slow start, recording five straight multi-hit games and four straight multi-RBI showings before going hitless Thursday.
Captaincy Options
1. Choi Jeong
2. Jamie Romak
Dream11 Team
C Lee Hong-gu
IF Jamie Romak (VC)
IF Choi Jeong (C)
OF Noh Soo-kwang
OF Park Chan-do
OF Park Seung-gyu
OF Choi Ji-hoon
