This article is part of our Dream11 Fantasy KBO series.
Kia Tigers (11-8) at KT Wiz (7-11)
Wednesday, May 27, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected starters
RHP Ki Young Im (1-2, 3.38 ERA) vs RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (1-0, 2.25 ERA)
Game Preview
The Wiz and the Tigers will play the second game of their three-game series Wednesday after Tuesday's matchup finished with a 4-1 win for the Tigers. The Tigers have won six of their last seven, while the Wiz have now lost four of their last five. This game could very well end up being a pitchers' duel between two strong hurlers in Odrisamer Despaigne and Ki Young Im. Im has allowed just one earned run in each of his last two starts, while Despaigne has allowed three earned runs or less in each of his three outings thus far.
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
Kia Tigers (11-8) at KT Wiz (7-11)
Wednesday, May 27, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected starters
RHP Ki Young Im (1-2, 3.38 ERA) vs RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (1-0, 2.25 ERA)
Game Preview
The Wiz and the Tigers will play the second game of their three-game series Wednesday after Tuesday's matchup finished with a 4-1 win for the Tigers. The Tigers have won six of their last seven, while the Wiz have now lost four of their last five. This game could very well end up being a pitchers' duel between two strong hurlers in Odrisamer Despaigne and Ki Young Im. Im has allowed just one earned run in each of his last two starts, while Despaigne has allowed three earned runs or less in each of his three outings thus far.
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 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.
Baek Ho Kang – Wiz – 10-Day IL – Wrist
May 22 - Kang will be out three weeks with a left wrist injury, Daniel Kim of DKTV reports. Before landing on the injured list, the 20-year-old slugger put up a tremendous .333/.406/.737 stat line while leading the team in home runs (five) and runs batted in (14). Kang has started every game this season as well, so his absence will leave a notable hole in KT's lineup. Seung Wook Park will get the first crack at filling the void, but several other players could get a shot as well.
Han Joon Yoo – Wiz – 10-Day IL – 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.
Kia Tigers Expected Lineup:
SP – Ki Young Im
1. Chan Ho Park
2. Sun Bin Kim
5. Ji Wan Na
6. Min Sang Yoo
7. Joo Hwan Na
9. Woo Joon Choi
KT Wiz Expected Lineup:
SP – Odrisamer Despaigne
1. Woo Joon Sim
3. Yong Ho Jo
4. Mel Rojas
Top picks:
Sun Bin Kim, Tigers: Kim extended his hitting streak to seven games with a 4-for-5 performance on Tuesday, and he remains a reliable threat at the top of the Tigers' lineup. He has recorded three multi-hit performances while posting a .500/.548/.536 slash line over the course of his hitting streak. That's tremendous upside considering he only costs 9.5 credits.
Ki Young Im, Tigers: Both teams feature strong pitchers for this contest, but Im represents the much better value when considering he costs 7.5 credits while Odrisamer Despaigne costs 13.5. Im has posted solid numbers thus far this season, allowing just two earned runs in his last 11.2 innings of work across his last two starts.
Mel Rojas, Wiz: Rojas continues to mash on a daily basis and has been one of the most productive hitters in the league during the first month of the regular season. The left fielder bounced back from a hitless effort Sunday with a 2-for-4 day Tuesday, and now he has multi-hit appearances in four of his last five contests. He is hitting a robust .427 so far this season.
Yong Ho Jo, Wiz: Jo snapped an eight-game hitting streak Tuesday when he went 0-for-2, but he still chipped in with a run and a walk. The Wiz' number three hitter has looked impressive this season, posting a .500/.551/.600 slash line through his first 49 plate appearances.
Captaincy Options:
2. Ki Young Im
3. Mel Rojas
Dream11 Team
P – Ki Young Im
C – Seong Woo Jang
IF – Sun Bin Kim (C)
IF – Chan Ho Park
OF – Mel Rojas (VC)
OF – Yong Ho Jo
OF – Hyoung Woo Choi
OF – Jeong Dae Bae
OF – Preston Tucker
