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Steve Janik recommends betting picks for the KBO slate on 5/26/2020. He breaks down each team's roster and suggests the top picks on moneylines, totals, and runlines.
We enter a new week of KBO action and things around the league are starting to take shape. NC is still in first place, while LG and Doosan are holding themselves to a high standard as well. We're getting plenty of offense through the early going and while there are certain pitchers who have stood out so far, team's are really going to look for guys to step up in a big way.
- Sunday, May 24: 1-2
- 2020 KBO Season: 29-12
It's been a pretty successful season on the gambling end too. I appreciate all of you that have taken an interest in reading as well as engaging with me on Twitter. Even when we aren't able to enjoy Major League Baseball right now, it's very encouraging to know that we can all rally around the KBO to give us some baseball and put a little money in our pocket.
Today, I'll be bringing you my KBO analysis, advice, and best bets for Tuesday, May 26th at 5:30 am EST. If you haven’t already, check out www.mykbostats.com; it’s is a fantastic one-stop-shop for us in America to get our KBO fix. You can also check out our KBO DFS lineup picks article after this one. Also, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @RotoStevieJ to talk shop or chew me out if a pick loses.
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Samsung Lions at Lotte Giants (-135)
O/U: 8.5 | ESPN2 at 5:30 am EST
Probable Pitchers
Samsung: Chae-heung Choi (3-0, 2.65 ERA)
Lotte: Dan Straily (1-2, 3.68 ERA)
Samsung blew up on Sunday, downing Doosan 13-0 to close out the series, and while they still lost the series, it was the most runs they've scored since May 9 and the 26 runs scored in the three-game set was the most all season. It's possible this is a sign of things to come, but keep in mind Doosan has the worst pitching staff in the KBO. The Lions are still hitting .247 with a .702 OPS and averaging just 4.9 runs per game.
Lefty Chae-heung Choi has been the Lions' best rotation arm after starts against LG, Kiwoom, and Kia, all of which are pretty solid offenses. He gave up four against Kiwoom but just one earned runs in the other two starts combined. He's also done a good job limiting big innings, serving up just one home run and three doubles. Choi gives Samsung a great chance at earning a series-opening win.
This Lotte offense has really struggled over the last six games, averaging just three runs per game en route to a 2-4 record. While they did win the most recent series against Kiwoom, the Giants are looking to get back to their early season ways when they won six of their first seven. Dixon Machado has been a great run producer, but they'll need Dae-Ho Lee and Ah-seop Son to give some more in the heart of the lineup.
Dan Straily gets his fifth start for the Giants and he'll look to avenge his last time out when he surrendered five runs in a loss to Kia. In his other three starts, he's allowed just four runs in 17 innings with a 19/6 K/BB. It's an incredibly small sample size, but in his only start at home he went seven shutout innings against SK with 11 strikeouts an no walks.
This has the makings of a pitchers duel with both offenses struggling with consistency. However, the Giants have been better at home so far than on the road, averaging six runs per game in Busan, compared to only four as the visitors. Whereas Samsung averages around just 4.5 runs per game on the road.
Pick: Lotte ML -138
LG Twins (-165) at Hanwha Eagles
O/U: 8.5
Probable Pitchers
LG: Tyler Wilson (0-2, 5.71 ERA)
Hanwha: Chad Bell (First KBO start)
LG got a nice walk-off grand slam from Roberto Ramos on Sunday to give them sole possession of second place and momentum into the Monday off day. They've scored 30 runs in their last six games and find themselves in the top-half of the league offensively with a .275 average and .783 OPS. Ramos has been a one-man wrecking crew, but with four other hitters have 10-plus RBI, this offense can go off at any time.
Tyler Wilson has dealt with some tough luck so far this year. After getting beaten around for seven runs by NC on May 8, he's allowed just four runs over his last 13 innings with a 13/3 K/BB but still doesn't have a win to show for it. So Tuesday's an important start for the 30-year-old in his third KBO season. On the road in 2019, he went 7-3 in 15 starts and allowed just 28 of his 60 earned runs as a visitor. He's in a real "get right" spot here and will be anxious for a win.
At 7-11, Hanwha has had some issues offensively so far. They've scored just 69 (nice) runs behind a .255 average and a .678 OPS. Their 37 extra-base hits are the second fewest in the league and could be a big factor in why they're struggling to push runs across. Now they'll be happy to return home after a six-game road trip where they went 2-4.
Chad Bell will make his 2020 debut after sitting out the first three weeks with an elbow injury. In his first KBO season in 2019, he went 13-11 with a 3.50 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 17.9 K%, and an 8.4 BB% for Hanwha. The former Tiger finished off 2019 on a heater, allowing just eight runs in his final six outings, including four shutout starts. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts in his first game back.
This would have been a primetime pitching matchup for TV last season, but given Wilson's early struggles and Bell making his season debut, I'm sure some rust will be coming off. However, I look for Wilson to bear down Tuesday. His 2019 success on the road is hard to ignore and then combine it with the offensive momentum LG gained in the last six games and I like the Twins here.
Pick: LG Twins -1.5
SK Wyverns at Doosan Bears (-250)
O/U: 9.5
Probable Pitchers
SK: Jong-hoon Park (1-0, 4.20 ERA)
Doosan: Chris Flexen (2-0, 2.70 ERA)
The Wyverns scraped their way to an extra inning walk-off win over Kia on Sunday, though that bumps them up to just 3-14 on the year. Dong-min Han (shin) went down and is listed as day-to-day but the Monday off-day will hopefully get him back in the lineup for Tuesday. He's slugged six homers while driving in 12 of their 61 runs. Jamie Romak has been hitting better as well his last six games, hitting .304 (7-for-23) with a home run and two RBI. These two, along with Jin-gi Jeong need to keep the sparks flying at the plate.
Jong-hoon Park has been about average through three outings on the hill so far, and his 17/6 K/BB shows that he has some upside. Over his career he's also done a good job keeping the ball in the park, never allowing more than 17 home runs over the last five seasons. He's surrendered two already this year so a matchup with the dangerous Bears lineup won't make things any easier.
Doosan is back to having the top ranked offense in the KBO thanks to a .323 average, .872 OPS, and 60 extra-base hits. The most impressive feat is their .323 average w/RISP. Consider their 13-0 loss to Samsung on Sunday a fluke as they dropped 22 runs in the two games of the series. Jae-ho Kim (thigh) missed on Sunday and they're already missing Jae-il Oh (side) but Jose Fernandez, Jae-won Oh, and Jae-hwan Kim are there to pick up the slack.
Chris Flexen has been dealing through his first three KBO starts, including his last start where he allowed just one earned run over eight innings while punching out 10 and walking two. The former Met utilizes his fastball-slider combo but his control had always been an issue in the past. With just four walks through 20 innings, he seems to have gotten a grip on that issue.
Doosan's lineup is a little banged up right now but some core pieces remain and they're still huge favorites. This offense can throw up a 10-spot themselves on any given day and have seen the total go over in their games 14 times. While SK will have their hands full with Flexen, his pitch counts have gotten up around 110 in his last two starts. If the Wyverns can get into the dreadful Doosan bullpen earlier, this game should no issues seeing some runs up on the board.
Pick: Over 9.5
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