This article is part of our Dream11 Fantasy KBO series.
Hanwha Eagles (9-30) at NC Dinos (26-11)
Friday, June 19th, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected starters
LHP Bum Soo Kim (1-3, 4.34 ERA) vs LHP Chang Mo Koo (5-0, 0.75 ERA)
Game Preview
This game features the top team in the KBO – the Dinos – against a struggling Eagles squad that sits at the bottom of the standings by a considerable margin. The visitors are the only team in the season with single digit wins and appear bound to struggle against the dominant Dinos. As if the difference between the two side's record weren't enough, the Dinos will also send star lefty Chang Mo Koo to the mound. He's having an incredible season, posting a 0.75 ERA and a 0.69 WHIP through his first seven starts. He's beaten the Eagles once already this season, allowing one run in six innings in early June. The Eagles will counter with Bum Soo Kim, who has a 4.15 ERA against the Dinos this season and a 4.34 ERA in 18.2 innings overall. This will be Kim's first start of the year, as he has pitched exclusively in relief thus far.
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
Hanwha Eagles (9-30) at NC Dinos (26-11)
Friday, June 19th, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected starters
LHP Bum Soo Kim (1-3, 4.34 ERA) vs LHP Chang Mo Koo (5-0, 0.75 ERA)
Game Preview
This game features the top team in the KBO – the Dinos – against a struggling Eagles squad that sits at the bottom of the standings by a considerable margin. The visitors are the only team in the season with single digit wins and appear bound to struggle against the dominant Dinos. As if the difference between the two side's record weren't enough, the Dinos will also send star lefty Chang Mo Koo to the mound. He's having an incredible season, posting a 0.75 ERA and a 0.69 WHIP through his first seven starts. He's beaten the Eagles once already this season, allowing one run in six innings in early June. The Eagles will counter with Bum Soo Kim, who has a 4.15 ERA against the Dinos this season and a 4.34 ERA in 18.2 innings overall. This will be Kim's first start of the year, as he has pitched exclusively in relief thus far.
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.
Jin Hyuk No, Dinos - 10-Day IL - Undisclosed
June 14 - No was removed from NC's roster Sunday, according to mbn.co.kr. It's not clear why No was removed from the Dinos' entry, but he has not appeared in a game since Thursday and owns an .846 OPS on the season, so it seems likely he is dealing with some sort of injury. Chan Hyung Kim has filled in at shortstop in No's absence.
Hanwha Eagles Expected Lineup
SP - Bum Soo Kim
2. Eun Won Jung
3. Yong-Kyu Lee
5. Tae-Kyun Kim
6. Jared Hoying
8. Si Hwan Noh
9. Han Min Jo
NC Dinos Expected Lineup
SP - Chang Mo Koo
1. Min Woo Park
2. Myung Gi Lee
3. Sung Bum Na
4. Eui Ji Yang
7. Suk Min Park
Top picks
Chang Mo Koo, Dinos: What else can be said about Koo? The 23-year-old lefty has been the league's most dominant pitcher this year and is yet to allow more than one earned run in any of his seven starts. He owns a 0.75 ERA with a 0.69 WHIP in seven outings, striking out 52 in 48 innings.
Aaron Altherr, Dinos: Few players in the KBO have been as hot as Altherr during June, as the veteran outfielder has hit safely in all but two games. He is hitting .327/.400/.694 with four home runs and 18 RBI this month.
Sung Bum Na, Dinos: Na saw his hitting streak end at five games Wednesday, but he should get back to mashing in a series against the weak Eagles pitching staff. He has 11 home runs this season while hitting .307, making him an excellent option in the heart of the Dinos' league-leading lineup.
Soo Kwang Noh, Eagles: Noh has been one of the few decent Eagles players on offense this season, as he is currently slashing .287/.345/.400 with a .745 OPS – the highest mark of the team among players with more than 30 plate appearances. The majority of that production came with the Wyverns, as he was just acquired in a trade Thursday.
Captaincy Options
1. Chang Mo Koo
3. Sung Bum Na
Dream11 Team
P – Chang Mo Koo (C)
C – Eui Ji Yang
IF – Si Hwan Noh
IF – Min Woo Park
IF – Eun Won Jung
IF – Han Min Jo
OF – Aaron Altherr (VC)
OF – Jin Sung Kang
OF – Sung Bum Na
