This article is part of our Dream11 Fantasy KBO series.
NC Dinos (22-6) at Hanwha Eagles (7-22)
Sunday, June 7, 4:00 AM EDT
Projected starters
RHP Jae Hak Lee (2-1, 6.08 ERA) vs RHP Ee Whan Kim (1-2, 6.00 ERA)
Game Preview
The Dinos remain the top team in the league and currently lead the standings by a rather comfortable four-game margin after notching four straight wins. The Eagles, on the other hand, occupy the opposite end of the table. They're riding a 13-game losing streak that has them buried at the bottom of the league with an awful 7-22 record. The gap is much smaller in the pitching department for Sunday's contest, though. The Dinos will send Jae Hak Lee, who allowed seven earned runs in just four innings during his previous start, while the Eagles will counter with Ee Whan Kim. The 19-year-old righty also gave up seven earned runs in just three innings against the Heroes earlier this week.
Injuries
Ju Seok Ha – Eagles – 10-Day IL – Thigh
June 2 - Eagles manager Yong-duk Han admitted Tuesday that Ha (thigh) is recovering from his injury slower than anticipated and will likely be sidelined until July, The Chosun Ilbo reports. When Ha injured his right thigh in a May 17 game, the Eagles were optimistic that he would complete his rehab in four weeks and rejoin the club around mid-to-late June. The shortstop's recovery timeline now looks like it will fall more in the six-week range, if not longer, given his lack of progress
NC Dinos (22-6) at Hanwha Eagles (7-22)
Sunday, June 7, 4:00 AM EDT
Projected starters
RHP Jae Hak Lee (2-1, 6.08 ERA) vs RHP Ee Whan Kim (1-2, 6.00 ERA)
Game Preview
The Dinos remain the top team in the league and currently lead the standings by a rather comfortable four-game margin after notching four straight wins. The Eagles, on the other hand, occupy the opposite end of the table. They're riding a 13-game losing streak that has them buried at the bottom of the league with an awful 7-22 record. The gap is much smaller in the pitching department for Sunday's contest, though. The Dinos will send Jae Hak Lee, who allowed seven earned runs in just four innings during his previous start, while the Eagles will counter with Ee Whan Kim. The 19-year-old righty also gave up seven earned runs in just three innings against the Heroes earlier this week.
Injuries
Ju Seok Ha – Eagles – 10-Day IL – Thigh
June 2 - Eagles manager Yong-duk Han admitted Tuesday that Ha (thigh) is recovering from his injury slower than anticipated and will likely be sidelined until July, The Chosun Ilbo reports. When Ha injured his right thigh in a May 17 game, the Eagles were optimistic that he would complete his rehab in four weeks and rejoin the club around mid-to-late June. The shortstop's recovery timeline now looks like it will fall more in the six-week range, if not longer, given his lack of progress to date. Ha's ongoing absence should continue to open up regular work for Si Hwan Noh in the middle infield.
Sun Jin Oh – Eagles – 10-Day IL – Thigh
June 2 - Eagles manager Yong-duk Han said Tuesday that Oh (thigh) is recovering from his injury slower than anticipated and will likely be sidelined until July, The Chosun Ilbo reports. Hanwha has been down its top two shortstops in Ju Seok Ha and Oh since mid-May while both have battled thigh injuries, opening up regular work in the middle infield for Si Hwan Noh. Though Ha and Oh were both expected to require only four weeks to heal up from their respective injuries, the limited progress both players have made to date appears to have prompted Hanwha to push their recovery timelines back to at least six weeks. Before going down with the injury, Oh went 9-for-26 with a home run, two doubles and five RBI in nine games with Hanwha.
Joon Wan Kim – Dinos – 10-Day IL – Side
June 1 - Kim felt soreness in his right side last week, according to OSEN, and was placed on the injured list. It's not clear how long Kim will be sidelined, but the Dinos' reserve outfielder has not played since May 28 and will apparently miss more time. Sung Wook Kim was added to the roster in Joon Wan Kim's place.
Chang Min Mo – Dinos – 10-Day IL – Shoulder
June 2 - Mo (shoulder) played in a Futures League game Tuesday, according to chosun.com. Mo has missed more time than expected because of his injury, but his absence is on the verge of ending. It remains to be seen exactly when Mo will be activated, but when he is, the Dinos will have to figure out how to get both him and the red-hot Jin Sung Kang into the lineup.
NC Dinos Expected Lineup:
SP - Jae Hak Lee
1. Min Woo Park
2. Myung Gi Lee
3. Sung-bum Na
4. Eui Ji Yang
5. Suk Min Park
7. Jin-hyuk No
Hanwha Eagles Expected Lineup:
SP - Ee Whan Kim
1. Yong-Kyu Lee
2. Eun Won Jung
3. Jared Hoying
5. Tae-Kyun Kim
6. Jin Ho Jeong
9. Si Hwan Noh
Top picks:
Sung-bum Na, Dinos: Na enters this matchup riding a six-game hitting streak, posting three multi-hit efforts, three home runs, eight RBI and an impressive 1.477 OPS over that span. He should continue feasting against one of the weakest pitching staffs in the league.
Aaron Altherr, Dinos: Altherr has been on fire during his last 15 games, going 18-for-51 (.353) with five home runs, 20 RBI and 15 runs. He's still been hitting near the bottom of the lineup, but he remains a worthwhile play as that success should continue against the league's weakest team.
Min Woo Park, Dinos: Park has been a regular presence at the top of the Dinos lineup and is a constant on-base threat, posting a .405 on-base percentage. He contributes in a number of ways, chipping in with four stolen bases, two home runs and 13 RBI this season.
Si Hwan Noh, Eagles: Noh remains one of the top offensive threats for a struggling Eagles lineup, although that's not saying much considering the team has lost 13 games in a row. He represents a low-cost alternative for most lineups and benefits from regular playing time, reaching base safely in five straight games.
Captaincy Options:
Dream11 Team
P – Jae Hak Lee
C – Eui Ji Yang
IF – Min Woo Park
IF – Si Hwan Noh
OF – Jae Hoon Choi
OF – Dong Hoon Lee
OF – Sung-bum Na (C)
OF – Myung Gi Lee
OF – Aaron Altherr (VC)
