This article is part of our Dream11 Fantasy KBO series.
KT Wiz (40-37-1) at Doosan Bears (45-34-2)
Friday, August 14th, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (10-5, 4.03 ERA) vs RHP Raul Alcantara (10-1, 2.72 ERA)
Game Preview
The Wiz and the Bears are in opposite extremes of the standings, although both teams are fighting for the same thing – a spot in the playoffs. The Bears are in a better position since they are in third place and are 11 games over .500, while the Wiz are just three games above that same threshold but in seventh place. Both teams are also coming off losses, but the Wiz are 6-4 in their last 10, while the Bears have gone 5-3-2. The pitching matchup will feature two foreign arms, as Raul Alcantara will get the nod for the Bears and Odrisamer Despaigne gets the start for the Wiz. Alcantara has been far more consistent, but Despaigne is capable of lighting up the scoreboard on any day of the week as well.
Injuries
Doosan Bears
Chris Flexen - Out - Foot
7/17 8:54 PM IST - Flexen suffered a broken left foot in his last start Thursday, according to chosun.com. Flexen was struck by a batted ball in the first inning of Thursday's contest. Although he finished the frame, he was removed from the contest afterward and will now likely miss at least a month.
Duk Joo Ham - 10-Day IL - Elbow
8/6 3:39 PM IST - Ham was placed on the injured list Thursday because of
KT Wiz (40-37-1) at Doosan Bears (45-34-2)
Friday, August 14th, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (10-5, 4.03 ERA) vs RHP Raul Alcantara (10-1, 2.72 ERA)
Game Preview
The Wiz and the Bears are in opposite extremes of the standings, although both teams are fighting for the same thing – a spot in the playoffs. The Bears are in a better position since they are in third place and are 11 games over .500, while the Wiz are just three games above that same threshold but in seventh place. Both teams are also coming off losses, but the Wiz are 6-4 in their last 10, while the Bears have gone 5-3-2. The pitching matchup will feature two foreign arms, as Raul Alcantara will get the nod for the Bears and Odrisamer Despaigne gets the start for the Wiz. Alcantara has been far more consistent, but Despaigne is capable of lighting up the scoreboard on any day of the week as well.
Injuries
Doosan Bears
Chris Flexen - Out - Foot
7/17 8:54 PM IST - Flexen suffered a broken left foot in his last start Thursday, according to chosun.com. Flexen was struck by a batted ball in the first inning of Thursday's contest. Although he finished the frame, he was removed from the contest afterward and will now likely miss at least a month.
Duk Joo Ham - 10-Day IL - Elbow
8/6 3:39 PM IST - Ham was placed on the injured list Thursday because of left elbow pain, per mksports.co.kr. The southpaw will enter the IL with 10 saves to his name this season. Ham did struggle recently though, giving up five runs through 0.2 innings against the Dinos. Doosan added Myung Joon Yoon back to the team roster.
Kyoung Min Hur - Day-To-Day - Calf
8/13 3:13 PM IST - Hur is not starting against the Lions on Thursday, Yuri Na of Sports Chosun reports. Hur is dealing with a tight calf, so second baseman Joo Hwan Choi will start at third base instead. Hur ended a five-game hitless streak by registering three hits Wednesday against Samsung.
Jae Ho Kim - Day-To-Day - Thigh
8/13 3:42 PM IST - Kim is not starting in Thursday's game against Samsung due to thigh tightness, Yuri Na of Sports Chosun reports. Yoo Chan Lee starts at shortstop. Kim has dealt with several injuries this season, including a previous thigh issue in May. He continues to provide nonetheless through an impressive on-base percentage well above .350.
Yong Chan Lee - Out - Elbow
6/4 2:49 PM IST - Lee will undergo Tommy John surgery and is expected to miss at least a year, Daniel Kim of DKTV reports. Lee has started regularly for Doosan since 2018, but his 2020 season will come to an early and abrupt end as a result of his elbow injury. It remains to be seen who will enter the rotation in Lee's place, as the Giants have only needed five starting pitchers to date.
KT Wiz
Dae Eun Lee - Out - Side
7/3 1:30 AM IST - Lee (side) threw a 45-pitch simulated game Thursday, Taewoo Kim of SpoTVNews.co.kr reports. Lee experienced no side discomfort during the throwing session, so he's expected to join the Wiz's Futures League affiliate as soon as Sunday to begin a rehab assignment. The right-handed reliever has not pitched for the Wiz since May 19 due to the injury, so he may need an appearance or two in the Futures League before rejoining the big club. Once he's activated, Lee could be a candidate to close for the Wiz with Jae Yoon Kim (6.05 ERA, 1.71 WHIP in 19.1 innings) having struggled in that role so far this season.
Doosan Bears Expected Lineup
SP - Raul Alcantara
1. Kun Woo Park
3. Jae Il Oh
4. Jae Hwan Kim
7. Jae Ho Kim
8. Se Hyuk Park
9. Soo Bin Jung
KT Wiz Expected Lineup
SP - Odrisamer Despaigne
1. Yong Ho Jo
3. Mel Rojas
4. Baek Ho Kang
5. Han Joon Yoo
9. Woo Jun Sim
Top Picks From Each Team
Mel Rojas, Wiz: This matchup will feature two of the best hitters in the KBO this season, as Mel Rojas should be considered a front-runner for the MVP award regardless of what the Wiz end up doing and regardless if they reach the playoffs or not. Rojas is hitting a league-leading 29 home runs while also pacing the KBO in batting average with a strong .384 mark.
Jose Fernandez, Bears: Fernandez is another MVP candidate and, even though he has cooled off a bit of late, he remains an impact bat at the top of Doosan's lineup. Fernandez is slashing .359/.427/.543 with a .970 OPS, 14 homers and 64 RBI.
Captaincy Options
Dream11 Team
P – Raul Alcantara
C – Se Hyuk Park
IF – Jae Il Oh
IF – Jose Fernandez (VC)
IF – Jae Ho Kim
IF – Seong Ho Chun
OF – Mel Rojas (C)
OF – Yong Ho Jo
OF – Soo Bin Jung
