This article is part of our Dream11 Fantasy KBO series.
Lotte Giants (11-14) at Kia Tigers (14-12)
Thursday, May 4, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected starters
RHP Kyung-eun Noh (1-1, 5.57 ERA) vs RHP Aaron Brooks (1-2, 3.23 ERA)
Game Preview
The Giants suffered a 11-2 loss against the Tigers on Wednesday, a result which sunk them even further in the standings. They now sit in seventh place with a 11-14 record following back-to-back defeats, and they've won just three of their last 10 games. Meanwhile, the Tigers are on a two-game winning run and have gone 5-5 in their last 10 contests. The momentum seems to be on their side. Ahead of Thursday's contest, the Tigers will send Aaron Brooks to the mound while the Giants will counter with Kyung-eun Noh. Brooks allowed two runs in six innings during his previous start, while Noh has posted a 5.57 ERA thus far. The pitching matchup sure seems to favor the home side here.
Injuries
Joo Chan Kim – 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.
Chang-jin Lee – Tigers – Out – Back
May 26
Lotte Giants (11-14) at Kia Tigers (14-12)
Thursday, May 4, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected starters
RHP Kyung-eun Noh (1-1, 5.57 ERA) vs RHP Aaron Brooks (1-2, 3.23 ERA)
Game Preview
The Giants suffered a 11-2 loss against the Tigers on Wednesday, a result which sunk them even further in the standings. They now sit in seventh place with a 11-14 record following back-to-back defeats, and they've won just three of their last 10 games. Meanwhile, the Tigers are on a two-game winning run and have gone 5-5 in their last 10 contests. The momentum seems to be on their side. Ahead of Thursday's contest, the Tigers will send Aaron Brooks to the mound while the Giants will counter with Kyung-eun Noh. Brooks allowed two runs in six innings during his previous start, while Noh has posted a 5.57 ERA thus far. The pitching matchup sure seems to favor the home side here.
Injuries
Joo Chan Kim – 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.
Chang-jin Lee – 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.
Joo Hwan Na – 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 Jung Hoon Lee 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.
Hoon Jeong – Giants –10-Day IL – Abdomen
June 3 - Giants manager Mun-hoe Her said Monday Wednesday that Jeong is coming along faster than expected in his recovery from a ruptured inner abdominal muscle, Sang Kyung Park of The Chosun Ilbo reports. Her estimated that Jeong was about "80 to 90 percent" recovered from the injury, with his rapid progress coming as a pleasant surprise after the Giants initially expected him to miss at least four weeks when he got hurt May 15. Jeong could still be sent to the Futures League for a rehab game or two before rejoining the Giants, but based on the comments from Her, it sounds like the 32-year-old could be back with the big club in about a week or so.
Lotte Giants Expected Lineup:
SP - Kyung-eun Noh
2. Ah Seop Son
3. Jun Woo Jeon
4. Dae-Ho Lee
5. Chi Hong An
6. Dong Hee Han
7. Bon Gi Shin
8. Bo Geun Jung
Kia Tigers Expected Lineup:
SP - Aaron Brooks
1. Ho Ryung Kim
2. Sun Bin Kim
5. Ji Wan Na
6. Min Sang Yoo
9. Chan Ho Park
Top picks:
Preston Tucker, Tigers: Tucker can be hit or miss, but he was a hit Wednesday, as he blasted a three-run home run. The power-hitting outfielder has hit safely in each of his last three games and has eight homers in just 103 at-bats this season.
Sun Bin Kim, Tigers: Kim has been one of the most consistent bats for the Tigers this season and enters this game on a four-game hitting streak. He recorded two RBI and walked three times during Wednesday's matchup and will remain threatening as long as he keeps getting on base at such a high rate.
Aaron Brooks, Tigers: Brooks is among the most expensive players in the slate at 12.5 credits, but he's worth that price tag. The Giants have struggled against Kia all season, losing all five games between the two teams. Brooks has been reliable this year, allowing three or fewer earned runs in four of his five outings.
Dae-Ho Lee, Giants: Dae-Ho Lee has not been included in the team below, but he represents a strong captain choice if you're building a Giants-based lineup. He owns a .375 average and a .474 on-base percentage in 20 plate appearances against the Tigers this season.
Captaincy Options:
2. Sun Bin Kim
3. Aaron Brooks
Dream11 Team
P – Aaron Brooks
C – Bo Geun Jung
IF – Sun Bin Kim (VC)
IF – Chan Ho Park
IF – Yoon Ho Hwang
IF – Dong Han Kim
OF – Hyung Woo Choi
OF – Preston Tucker (C)
OF – Jae Hyun Choo
