This article is part of our Dream11 Fantasy KBO series.
KT Wiz (31-31-1) at NC Dinos (41-19-2)
Sunday, July 19th, 4:00 AM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (6-4, 4.05 ERA) vs RHP Jae Hak Lee (3-5, 5.84 ERA)
Game Preview
The Dinos are the consensus top team in the KBO this season, and they've looked quite good of late with a 41-19 record, two straight wins and a 5-3-2 mark over their last 10 contests. The Wiz, on the other hand, have struggled with consistency – despite a 6-3-1 record in their last 10 contests, they only are 31-31-1 and sit in seventh place of the standings. They will need to find some sort of consistency if they want to have a shot at the playoffs. The pitching matchup will face two righties, as Odrisamer Despaigne will take the ball for the Wiz and Jae Hak Lee will do the same thing for the Dinos. Despaigne has been the better pitcher on the Wiz rotation by a wide margin, but it remains to be seen if he can handle the Dinos' potent offense. As for Lee, he has allowed three or more earned runs in each of his last five outings.
Injuries:
KT Wiz
Je Seong Bae - Out - Not Injury Related
7/8 11:14 PM IST - Bae was removed from KT's roster Wednesday, according to kyeonggi.com. Bae is throwing the ball well this season, going 5-2 with a 3.60 ERA over 11 starts. However, manager Kang Cheol Lee felt the 23-year-old Bae would benefit from a break,
KT Wiz (31-31-1) at NC Dinos (41-19-2)
Sunday, July 19th, 4:00 AM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (6-4, 4.05 ERA) vs RHP Jae Hak Lee (3-5, 5.84 ERA)
Game Preview
The Dinos are the consensus top team in the KBO this season, and they've looked quite good of late with a 41-19 record, two straight wins and a 5-3-2 mark over their last 10 contests. The Wiz, on the other hand, have struggled with consistency – despite a 6-3-1 record in their last 10 contests, they only are 31-31-1 and sit in seventh place of the standings. They will need to find some sort of consistency if they want to have a shot at the playoffs. The pitching matchup will face two righties, as Odrisamer Despaigne will take the ball for the Wiz and Jae Hak Lee will do the same thing for the Dinos. Despaigne has been the better pitcher on the Wiz rotation by a wide margin, but it remains to be seen if he can handle the Dinos' potent offense. As for Lee, he has allowed three or more earned runs in each of his last five outings.
Injuries:
KT Wiz
Je Seong Bae - Out - Not Injury Related
7/8 11:14 PM IST - Bae was removed from KT's roster Wednesday, according to kyeonggi.com. Bae is throwing the ball well this season, going 5-2 with a 3.60 ERA over 11 starts. However, manager Kang Cheol Lee felt the 23-year-old Bae would benefit from a break, so he took him off the roster for the time being. Bae will rejoin KT's rotation at some point later this month.
Sung Woo Jang - Out - Undisclosed
7/14 10:35 PM IST - Jang went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run during Tuesday's 7-2 win over the Eagles. Jang belted a three-run, 395-foot bomb to left field in the bottom of the sixth inning, and that blast pulled the Eagles away for good. The backstop has been seeing the ball well of late, posting a .387 average with two home runs and 10 RBI in 31 July at-bats.
Yong Ho Jo - Out - Undisclosed
6/30 3:47 PM IST - Jo is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Twins, according to mykbostats.com. Jo reached base four times over KT's last two games and still owns an .801 OPS on the season, but he will be held out Tuesday for the fourth time in five games. Jo played regularly in May after getting off to a hot start, but he opened the season as a part-timer and appears to be back in that role.
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.
Sang Chul Moon - Out - Undisclosed
6/5 8:02 PM IST - Moon went 2-for-3 with a strikeout and a solo home run Friday against the Lotte Giants. Moon is heating up at the dish, hitting .333 with two home runs over his last eight games. With Baek Ho Kang (wrist) set to return next week, it will be interesting to see if the Wiz can find room for both first basemen in the lineup on a regular basis.
NC Dinos
Tae Jin Kim - 10-Day IL - Ankle
7/11 1:59 AM IST - Kim will miss four weeks with the ankle injury he suffered Wednesday, according to chosun.com. Kim is not a starter when the Dinos' infield is healthy, but he is the team's top reserve infielder, and his injury will force manager Dong Wook Lee to turn elsewhere when he wants to give one of his regulars a day off in the coming weeks.
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
NC Dinos Expected Lineup:
SP - Jae Hak Lee
1. Myung Gi Lee
2. Min Woo Park
3. Sung Bum Na
4. Eui Ji Yang
6. Suk Min Park
8. Jin Hyuk No
Top picks:
Sung Bum Na, Dinos: Na has been one of the most productive, consistent hitters in the Dinos roster this season. The numbers back him up, as he leads the team with 71 hits and a .971 OPS. He also has three home runs and nine RBI in 31 at-bats against the Wiz.
Aaron Altherr, Dinos: Altherr is having a monster year in his KBO debut – he currently owns a .290 average with four home runs and 13 RBI in July. He is only hitting .214 in 28 at-bats against the Wiz this season, but he has a strong track record and that should be enough reason to trust him ahead of this matchup.
Mel Rojas, Wiz: The Dinos are heavy favorites ahead of this matchup and certainly look like the stronger team of the two, but that shouldn't rule Rojas out of an important role. The slugging outfielder has been one of the best hitters in the league, but he has found success when facing the Dinos as well – he is hitting .424 with two homers and eight RBI in 33 at-bats against them.
Min Woo Park, Dinos: Park spent time on the injury list with a hamstring problem, but he returned at full strength and has been seeing the ball extremely well. Park has batted 12-for-40 (.300) through 10 games since coming back from his ailment.
Captaincy Options:
Dream11 Team
P – Jae Hak Lee
C – Tae Goon Kim
IF – Min Woo Park
IF – Jeong Won Choi
IF – Seong Ho Chun
OF – Mel Rojas
OF – Aaron Altherr (VC)
OF – Sung Bum Na (C)
OF – Yong Ho Jo
