This article is part of our Dream11 Fantasy KBO series.
Hanwha Eagles (5-7) vs KT Wiz (4-7)
Tuesday, May 19, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected starters
RHP Shi Hwan Jang (1-1, 3.75 ERA) vs RHP William Cuevas (0-1, 5.73 ERA)
Game Preview
Both the Eagles and the Wiz enter this game on the back of a win, and both own similar records, though the shapes of their seasons to date have been quite different. While the Eagles have won just one straight and have gone 4-6 in their last 10 contests, the hosts have turned around a 1-7 start by winning their last three. The Eagles have several injured players, with names such as Chad Bell, Ju Seok Ha and Jared Hoying all sidelined ahead of this contest. The Wiz will try to push their winning run to four contests with William Cuevas on the mound, while the Eagles will counter with Shi Hwan Jang. Jang has two quality starts in two outings, while Cuevas tossed six innings of one-run ball the last time out.
Injuries
Chad Bell – Eagles – Out – Elbow
May 17 - Bell (elbow) threw a bullpen session Saturday, according to SPOTV News. Bell's start to the season was delayed by his elbow injury, but it appears he is feeling good enough to get back on the bump. He is expected to pitch in a couple games with Hanwha's second team before being activated by the top club, but his return should not be far off. Hanwha's pitching staff has been one of the
Hanwha Eagles (5-7) vs KT Wiz (4-7)
Tuesday, May 19, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected starters
RHP Shi Hwan Jang (1-1, 3.75 ERA) vs RHP William Cuevas (0-1, 5.73 ERA)
Game Preview
Both the Eagles and the Wiz enter this game on the back of a win, and both own similar records, though the shapes of their seasons to date have been quite different. While the Eagles have won just one straight and have gone 4-6 in their last 10 contests, the hosts have turned around a 1-7 start by winning their last three. The Eagles have several injured players, with names such as Chad Bell, Ju Seok Ha and Jared Hoying all sidelined ahead of this contest. The Wiz will try to push their winning run to four contests with William Cuevas on the mound, while the Eagles will counter with Shi Hwan Jang. Jang has two quality starts in two outings, while Cuevas tossed six innings of one-run ball the last time out.
Injuries
Chad Bell – Eagles – Out – Elbow
May 17 - Bell (elbow) threw a bullpen session Saturday, according to SPOTV News. Bell's start to the season was delayed by his elbow injury, but it appears he is feeling good enough to get back on the bump. He is expected to pitch in a couple games with Hanwha's second team before being activated by the top club, but his return should not be far off. Hanwha's pitching staff has been one of the best in the league to date, and it will get even better whenever it adds Bell, who posted a 3.50 ERA across 29 starts with the club last season.
Ju Seok Ha – Eagles – Out – Thigh
May 18 - Hanwha announced Monday that Ha will be sidelined for four weeks with right thigh muscle pain, Young-rock Kim of The Chosun Ilbo reports. The club also announced that Sun Jin Oh would require about four weeks of rehab after he and Ha were both diagnosed with thigh injuries following Sunday's 5-4 win over the Giants. Ha's loss is a significant one for the Eagles, as he slashed .333/.349/.405 with seven RBI through 12 games. With Oh's injury further thinning the Eagles' depth in the infield, Si Hwan Noh looks to be the next man up to slot in as the club's everyday shortstop.
Jared Hoying – Eagles – 10-Day IL – Back
May 15 - Hoying was placed on the injured list Friday with a back injury, Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News Agency reports. It's not clear how much time Hoying will miss with his injury, but he will be sidelined for at least the next 10 days. Hoying had started every game for Hanwha up to this point and was beginning to heat up, so his absence will be notable.
Woo Ram Jeong – Eagles – Day-To-Day – Back
May 17 - Jeong was withheld from Sunday's 5-4 win over the Giants in 11 innings due to back pain, Jae-Gun Jeong of The Chosun Ilbo reports. Jeong's back issue apparently first surfaced on Thursday, when he closed out the Eagles' win over the Tigers. Though he proceeded to record a save the next day in the series opener against Lotte, Jeong experienced renewed issues with his back while warming up Sunday and was ultimately held out of action. Instead, Jin Young Kim was called on for the save opportunity in the top of the ninth, though he failed to protect the lead. Consider Jeong day-to-day heading into Tuesday's series opener versus the Wiz.
Yong-Kyu Lee – Eagles – 10-Day IL – Calf
May 17 - Lee (calf) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game versus the Giants, MyKBO reports. The veteran outfielder will miss his fourth consecutive contest as he continues to nurse the calf injury, but Monday's off day will provide some additional recovery time. Jin Ho Jeong slides over to center field Sunday for the Eagles.
Sun Jin Oh – Eagles – Out – Thigh
May 18 - Hanwha announced Monday that Oh would be sidelined for four weeks due to a right thigh injury, Young-rock Kim of The Chosun Ilbo reports. Oh's absence from the lineup in Sunday's 5-4 win over the Giants was believed to be a routine off day, but the Eagles were apparently evaluating him for an injury that he picked up the previous day. Doctors determined Oh was dealing with damage to the medial muscle of his right thigh, an injury that will keep him on the shelf through at least mid-June. Teammate Ju Seok Ha picked up the same injury in Sunday's game and will also be sidelined for at least four weeks, leaving the Eagles supremely thin in the infield. Oh has been the Eagles' top hitter so far during the young season, slashing .346/.357/.538 with a home run and five RBI over his 28 plate appearances.
Han Joon Yoo – KT Wiz – Out – Thigh
May 17 - Yoo (thigh) is expected to be sidelined for six weeks with a torn adductor, Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News reports. The veteran outfielder suffered the injury during Saturday's contest and is now looking at an extended absence. Yoo was off to a strong start this season with a .300/.349/.475 slash line and two home runs through 10 games.
Hanwha Eagles Expected Lineup:
SP - Shi Hwan Jang
1. Jin Ho Jeong
2. Eun Won Jung
5. Tae-Kyun Kim
7. Si Hwan Noh
KT Wiz Expected Lineup:
SP - William Cuevas
1. Woo Joon Sim
3. Yong Ho Jo
4. Baek Ho Kang
5. Mel Rojas
Top picks:
Mel Rojas, Wiz: Rojas saw his hitting streak stop at 10 games after a 0-for-4 day Sunday, but that doesn't mean much considering the caliber of hitter he has been this season. The soon-to-be 30-year-old outfielder sports a .426 average with a 1.130 OPS in his first 50 plate appearances. He is one of the most expensive players in this slate, but he'll likely be worth the price.
Seong Yul Lee, Eagles: Lee has been the Eagles' designated hitter to start the season, a spot that suits his bat well. He enters this game riding an eight-game hitting streak and has posted an impressive .375 average with four RBI over that stretch.
William Cuevas, Wiz: The Wiz's starting pitcher for this contest is coming off a strong performance in his last outing, allowing just one run in six innings. The Eagles might be on the rise, but their .258 team batting average is hardly intimidating, and Cuevas seems to be better than what his 5.73 ERA indicates. He could be in line to have a big day at home Tuesday.
Jin Ho Jeong, Eagles: The Eagles will have some of their best hitters out due to multiple injuries, and it's time for Jeong to answer the call as the next man up. He's hit safely in five of his last six outings but sports a .240 average over that stretch. He might not be a particularly enticing play, but he's one of the few regular hitters that will be available for the Eagles here.
Captaincy Options:
1. Mel Rojas
Dream11 Team
P – William Cuevas
C – Seong Woo Jang
IF – Woo Joon Sim
IF – Tae-Kyun Kim
IF – Seong Yul Lee (VC)
IF – Si Hwan Noh
OF – Jin Ho Jeong
OF – Jin Hyuk Jang
OF – Mel Rojas (C)
