This article is part of our Dream11 Fantasy KBO series.
Kia Tigers (15-13) at Doosan Bears (17-10)
Saturday, June 6, 1:00 AM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Drew Gagnon (2-3, 3.95 ERA) vs RHP Chris Flexen (2-0, 2.61 ERA)
Game Preview
This matchup features a pair of teams that currently occupy playoff spots, with the fifth-place Tigers traveling to take on the Bears, who currently sit tied for second after taking the series opener by a score of 5-1 on Friday. Saturday's game will be a battle between a pair of pitchers who were teammates on the MLB's New York Mets for the last two seasons. The Tigers' Drew Gagnon saw his ERA rise to a still-decent 3.95 after allowing five runs in four innings against the Twins his last time out, though his 33.0 percent strikeout rate and 5.4 percent walk rate are both excellent. Bears starter Chris Flexen owns a strong 2.61 ERA, though he's walked nine batters over his last two starts while striking out just six.
Injuries
Kim Joo-chan, Tigers - Out - Thigh
May 17 - Kim (thigh) has resumed playing in Futures League games, according to chosun.com. Kim underwent surgery on his thigh last December and needed at least four months to recover, per ohmynews.com, but he is nearing the end of the process. The 39-year-old's OPS fell nearly 200 points last year from the year before, but whenever he is deemed ready to play, he will at least give manager Matt Williams another trusted hitter on the roster.
Lee Chang-jin, Tigers - Out -
Kia Tigers (15-13) at Doosan Bears (17-10)
Saturday, June 6, 1:00 AM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Drew Gagnon (2-3, 3.95 ERA) vs RHP Chris Flexen (2-0, 2.61 ERA)
Game Preview
This matchup features a pair of teams that currently occupy playoff spots, with the fifth-place Tigers traveling to take on the Bears, who currently sit tied for second after taking the series opener by a score of 5-1 on Friday. Saturday's game will be a battle between a pair of pitchers who were teammates on the MLB's New York Mets for the last two seasons. The Tigers' Drew Gagnon saw his ERA rise to a still-decent 3.95 after allowing five runs in four innings against the Twins his last time out, though his 33.0 percent strikeout rate and 5.4 percent walk rate are both excellent. Bears starter Chris Flexen owns a strong 2.61 ERA, though he's walked nine batters over his last two starts while striking out just six.
Injuries
Kim Joo-chan, Tigers - Out - Thigh
May 17 - Kim (thigh) has resumed playing in Futures League games, according to chosun.com. Kim underwent surgery on his thigh last December and needed at least four months to recover, per ohmynews.com, but he is nearing the end of the process. The 39-year-old's OPS fell nearly 200 points last year from the year before, but whenever he is deemed ready to play, he will at least give manager Matt Williams another trusted hitter on the roster.
Lee Chang-jin, Tigers - Out - Back
May 26 - Tigers manager Matt Williams said Tuesday that Lee (back) has resumed hitting on the field, Jin-Hee Kim of The Chosun Ilbo reports. Lee has been sidelined since February due to a recurring disc issue in his back, but he appears to have made substantial progress over the past three months. Williams noted that Lee will still have to go through full defensive drills before he's ready for game action, with the 29-year-old most likely headed for the Futures League to get some competitive at-bats under his belt. Lee handled an everyday role for Kia in the 2019 season, slashing .270/.367/.382 with six home runs and eight stolen bases across 470 plate appearances.
Na Joo-hwan, Tigers - 10-Day IL - Thigh
June 2 - Tigers manager Matt Williams said Tuesday that Na has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to "slight pain" in his left thigh, Sang Kyung Park of The Chosun Ilbo reports. The Tigers recalled catcher Lee Jung-hoon up from the Futures League to take Na's spot on the active roster. Na, who is batting .200 over 43 plate appearances, had mostly served as a reserve infielder for the Tigers this season.
Hur Kyoung-min, Bears - Out - Finger
June 4 - Hur will miss 1-to-2 weeks with a fracture in his right little finger, according to Tae Woo Kim of SpoTV. Hur was a late scratch from Wednesday's lineup because of his injury, and he will now miss several more games for the same reason.
Jung Soo-bin, Bears - Day-To-Day - Foot
June 5 - Jung (foot) is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Tigers, according to mykbostats.com. Jung did not play Thursday because of his injury, and he will be held out Friday for the same reason. Yang Chan-yeol will enter the lineup in Jung's place.
Oh Jae-won Oh, Bears - Day-To-Day - Hamstring
June 6 - Oh left Friday's game with a hamstring injury, according to hankookilbo.com. The extent of Oh's injury is uncertain, but his status will be updated again before Doosan's next game Saturday.
Tigers Expected Lineup
1. Kim Ho-ryeong
2. Kim Sun-bin
4. Choi Hyung-woo
5. Na Ji-wan
6. Hwang Dae-in
7. Jang Yeong-seok
8. Han Seung-taek
9. Park Chan-ho
Bears Expected Lineup
1. Jung Soo-bin
3. Oh Jae-il
4. Kim Jae-hwan
5. Choi Joo-hwan
6. Oh Jae-won
7. Kim Jae-ho
8. Park Se-hyuk
9. Park Kun-woo
Top Picks
Drew Gagnon, Tigers: The pitcher decision in this contest isn't easy. Gagnon has a worse ERA than Flexen and is facing a tougher lineup, but his strikeout and walk numbers are both excellent, hinting at better performances going forward. It's worth taking a gamble on him and hoping he can shut down the Bears' hitters in this one.
Preston Tucker, Tigers: Tucker has been the Tigers' best hitter and one of the best bats in the entire league this season. He's tied for the league lead with 29 RBI and sits fourth with eight homers.
Kim Ho-ryeong, Tigers: Any time you can get a leadoff hitter for just seven credits, you should jump at the opportunity. Kim had appeared in just a single game prior to this week, but he's been inserted as the leadoff man in four straight contests, grabbing five hits, hitting two homers and scoring six times.
Jose Fernandez, Bears: Budget reasons kept Fernandez out of the team shown below, but he's the player to target as captain if you're looking to build a Bears-based lineup. He's been on an incredible tear all season, going hitless just three times in 27 games.
Captaincy Options
1. Drew Gagnon
Dream11 Team
P Drew Gagnon (C)
C Park Se-hyuk
IF Kim Sun-bin
IF Hwang Dae-in
IF Oh Jae-won
OF Preston Tucker (VC)
OF Choi Hyung-woo
OF Jung Soo-bin
OF Kim Ho-ryeong
