This article is part of our Dream11 Fantasy KBO series.
Kia Tigers (23-19) at Kiwoom Heroes (28-17)
Friday, June 26th, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected starters
RHP Drew Gagnon (3-3, 3.94 ERA) vs RHP Young Gun Jo (1-0, 4.70)
Game Preview
The Tigers enter Friday's action with a 23-19 record after their two Thursday contests against the Lotte Giants were rained out, and they haven't played a single game since Tuesday. This might be troublesome against a Heroes team that has been red-hot of late – Kiwoom have moved to the second place of the standings after going 8-2 in their last 10 games, including winning their last eight contests in a row. Drew Gagnon will take the ball for Kia looking to snap the Heroes' winning streak, and he has gone 3-3 with a 3.94 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. He was expected to start Thursday's game, but the matchup was rained out as stated above. Meanwhile, the Heroes will counter with Young Gun Jo, who has posted a 4.70 ERA in 2020. Jo has five appearances (four starts) this season and is yet to post a quality start, so he can't be trusted for a very extensive appearance.
Injuries
Kia Tigers
Young Seok Jang - Out - Not Injury Related
6/8 10:29 PM IST - Jang was removed from KIA's first-team roster Monday, Ik-rae Choi of The Dong-A Ilbo reports. Jang was called up last week after spending several weeks with KIA's second team, but he is headed back down after going 1-for-11 (.091) last week. Recently-acquired Ji
Kia Tigers (23-19) at Kiwoom Heroes (28-17)
Friday, June 26th, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected starters
RHP Drew Gagnon (3-3, 3.94 ERA) vs RHP Young Gun Jo (1-0, 4.70)
Game Preview
The Tigers enter Friday's action with a 23-19 record after their two Thursday contests against the Lotte Giants were rained out, and they haven't played a single game since Tuesday. This might be troublesome against a Heroes team that has been red-hot of late – Kiwoom have moved to the second place of the standings after going 8-2 in their last 10 games, including winning their last eight contests in a row. Drew Gagnon will take the ball for Kia looking to snap the Heroes' winning streak, and he has gone 3-3 with a 3.94 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. He was expected to start Thursday's game, but the matchup was rained out as stated above. Meanwhile, the Heroes will counter with Young Gun Jo, who has posted a 4.70 ERA in 2020. Jo has five appearances (four starts) this season and is yet to post a quality start, so he can't be trusted for a very extensive appearance.
Injuries
Kia Tigers
Young Seok Jang - Out - Not Injury Related
6/8 10:29 PM IST - Jang was removed from KIA's first-team roster Monday, Ik-rae Choi of The Dong-A Ilbo reports. Jang was called up last week after spending several weeks with KIA's second team, but he is headed back down after going 1-for-11 (.091) last week. Recently-acquired Ji Hyuk Ryu is expected to take over as KIA's starting third baseman.
Joo Chan Kim - Out - Undisclosed
6/22 11:52 PM IST - Kim was removed from the Tigers' roster on Monday, Soo Jin Park of Star News reports. It's not clear if Kim was placed on the injured list or sent to the Futures League, as he went 6-for-18 (.333) after making his season debut June 7 but received just five at-bats over the last five games. One way or another, though, the 39-year-old will not be active heading into the latest week of KBO action.
Chang Jin Lee - Out - Back
5/26 9:27 PM IST - 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.
Ji Hyuk Ryu - Out - Hamstring
6/19 2:09 AM IST - The Tigers are bracing for Ryu to miss at least two months after he suffered a torn left hamstring Sunday, Jin-Hoe Kim of The Chosun Ilbo reports. Though a clearer timeline will emerge for Ryu once he's re-evaluated at the end of the month, the Tigers apparently aren't banking on the infielder getting the green light from doctors to resume training right away following his checkup. With Ryu's absence seemingly on track to extend through mid-August, Joo Hwan Na could be in store for a lengthy run as the Tigers' everyday third baseman.
Min Sang Yoo - Day-To-Day - Back
6/24 3:19 PM IST - Yoo (back) will not start in Wednesday's game against Lotte, according to the Tigers' official Twitter account. The 31-year-old will miss at least one game recovering from his back pain. Dae-In Hwang will start at first base for the second time in three games.
Kiwoom Heroes
Jake Brigham - 10-Day IL - Elbow
6/21 10:44 PM IST - The Heroes aren't expecting Brigham (elbow) to return from the 10-day injured list until after July 10, The Chosun Ilbo reports. Though this report provides more specificity, it essentially aligns with one a few days earlier that suggested Brigham would likely remain out through at least early July. With Brigham on the shelf for three more weeks -- if not longer -- Young Gun Jo looks poised to continue serving as the Heroes' No. 5 starter.
Woong Bin Kim - 10-Day IL - Hamstring
6/8 9:38 PM IST - Kim will miss 4-to-6 weeks with a left hamstring injury, Soo Jin Park of Star News reports. Kim missed the start of the season while recovering from a forearm injury, and he is now looking at another absence after injuring his leg Sunday.
Byung Wook Lim - 10-Day IL - Hamstring
5/17 10:12 AM IST - Lim (hamstring) is expected to be sidelined 6-to-8 weeks, Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News reports. The 24-year-old went down during the second game of Saturday's doubleheader with a right hamstring injury, and he may end up spending two months on the injured list. Lim had a .278/.366/.389 slash line with four doubles and three stolen bases through 11 games.
Addison Russell - Out - Not Injury Related
6/22 8:34 PM IST - Russell, who agreed to a contract Friday with the Heroes, isn't expected to arrive in South Korea until mid-July, The Chosun Ilbo reports. Once the American infielder arrives in South Korea, he'll go through a KBO-mandated 14-day quarantine period before the Heroes plan to send him to their Futures League affiliate in late July. Since the 26-year-old hasn't been part of an organized team structure since being cut loose by MLB's Chicago Cubs in the fall, he could need several games in the Futures League to get his timing right at the plate, meaning he may not be ready to debut with the parent club until some point in early August. Once he gets acclimated to his new setting, Russell should settle into an everyday role for the Heroes at either second base or shortstop.
Kia Tigers Expected Lineup:
SP - Drew Gagnon
1. Ho Ryung Kim
2. Sun Bin Kim
5. Ji Wan Na
6. Min Sang Yoo
7. Joo Hwan Na
9. Chan Ho Park
Kiwoom Heroes Expected Lineup:
SP - Young Gun Jo
2. Ha Seong Kim
3. Jung Hoo Lee
7. Hye Sung Kim
Top picks:
Jung Hoo Lee, Heroes: Lee has recorded four straight multi-hit performances and has been extremely hot this season. Despite being an expensive player, Kiwoom's right fielder is worth the risk. He is currently hitting .423 with a .705 slugging percentage and 11 RBI in 78 at-bats during June.
Byung Ho Park, Heroes: The former Twins slugger needed more than one month to gain his best form, but he has been the catalyst behind Kiwoom's impressive winning streak. He connected a grand slam during the second game of Thursday's doubleheader, and that was his 11th long ball of the season. It was also his fourth in less than a week.
Preston Tucker, Tigers: Tucker has been one of the top hitters in the league during the current month. Even though the slugging outfielder enters this game riding a 0-for-7 streak in his last two games, he has hit .364 with 15 RBI and a .667 slugging percentage during June.
Hyung Woo Choi, Tigers: Choi can be the catalyst of the Tigers' offense due to the fact he hits at the top of the lineup. Since missing one game on June 11, he has been exactly that – hitting safely in all but one of his nine games and posting a .393/.452/.536 slash line during that stretch.
Captaincy Options:
Dream11 Team
P – Young Gun Jo
C – Jeong Hoon Lee
IF – Byung Ho Park (VC)
IF – Ha Seong Kim
OF – Jung Hoo Lee (C)
OF – Jeong Eum Park
OF – Preston Tucker
OF – Hyung Woo Choi
OF – Ho Ryung Kim
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are of the author and is not a reflection of the actual points you might earn.
