DFS KBO: Thursday Cheat Sheet

Wednesday's KBO action saw the Dinos climb back into three-game lead atop the standings, as they beat the Wyverns while the second-place Twins fell to the Lions. Those Lions are now just two games out of a playoff spot thanks to an impressive run which has seen them win six of their last seven games, including four wins against the Dinos and Twins. The slate also saw some rather unexpected pitching performances, as the Wiz's Hyeong Jun So held the Bears to just two hits in seven scoreless innings while Casey Kelly was lit up by the Lions for eight runs. Lions third baseman Won Seok Lee was the star of the day on the offensive side, hitting a three-run homer as part of an eight-RBI day. Thursday's slate again features a few of the league's top arms alongside several pitchers who look like prime targets to stack against, though if Wednesday's games are any indication, things may not play out as expected.

Pitchers

I expect Eric Jokisch ($9,500 DraftKings, $21 FanDuel as "Kiwoom Starting P") to be one of the most-owned players all season on FanDuel, where he's rather mysteriously the cheapest pitcher on the slate. He could well be too cheap on DraftKings as well, where he's the second most expensive pitcher available. There aren't many pitchers who have been better than the lefty this season, as he's allowed a total of three earned runs across his first five starts while striking out 23.9 percent of opposing batters and walking just 4.4 percent. He couldn't have an easier assignment than he'll have Thursday, when he'll face the Eagles, who sit last in runs per game by a considerable margin.

Aaron Brooks ($8,000 DraftKings, $27 FanDuel as "Kia Starting P") is expensive on both platforms, but his high price tag is well-deserved. He's settled in quite comfortably through his first five KBO starts, cruising to a 3.23 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Those numbers are backed up by a 21.3 percent strikeout rate and a 4.1 percent walk rate. He'll have an easy matchup in this one against a Giants lineup which ranks second-last in scoring.

For a cheaper option on DraftKings, consider Tae Hoon Kim ($7,200 DraftKings, $25 FanDuel as "SK Starting P"). He's certainly not without risks, the primary one being that he has to face the Dinos, who are tied for the most runs in the league this season. He has a strong 3.00 ERA and 1.04 WHIP through four starts this year, though that's been propped up by a .203 BABIP. His 17.2 percent strikeout rate this year is merely average, though he's been a strong strikeout arm the last two seasons, striking out 23.6 percent and 25.7 percent of batters. Those seasons were spent in relief, but that drop is still larger than I'd expect it to be going forward. It's hard to have a ton of confidence in Kim, but it's easier to squint and see a strong performance from him than it is for most of the day's cheaper arms.

Top Targets

If you're not interested in Kim, Eui Ji Yang ($5,800 DraftKings, $14 FanDuel) makes for a strong play against him. No catcher in the KBO comes close to his offensive track record, as his excellent .301/.395/.521 slash line this season gives him an OPS that's actually over 100 points lower than his mark from either of the last two seasons. He's quite pricey, but you understandably have to pay up if you want someone with the offensive skills of a top-tier first baseman occupying your catcher slot. The righty will get the platoon advantage against Kim while likely occupying the cleanup spot.

Jung Hoo Lee ($5,100 DraftKings, $14 FanDuel) leads a Heroes team which has rebounded from a four-game losing streak to win four of its last five. He's riding a seven-game hitting streak and now owns a .356/.427/.584 slash line through 26 contests. He'll get the platoon advantage against Eagles righty Min Woo Kim, who's been something of an enigma this season. He recorded ERAs north of 6.50 in each of the two previous seasons, and while an increased strikeout rate has helped him to a 3.90 ERA so far this year, he's also relied on an unsustainable .211 BABIP. His larger track record suggests the Heroes could put up a big number against him Thursday.

Bargain Bats

Sticking with the Heroes, Keon Chang Seo ($3,600 DraftKings, $11 FanDuel) returned to the lineup Wednesday following a brief absence due to elbow soreness. He only appeared as a designated hitter in that one and failed to record a hit, though he doubled as a pinch hitter Tuesday, so he appears to be healthy. The leadoff man has set the table quite well for the Heroes this season, hitting .315/.400/.483, hardly a surprise given that he owns a career .393 on-base percentage, peaking with a .439 mark during his MVP campaign back in 2014.

While the Lions have been on a surprising run lately, winning six of their last seven games including two wins against both of the league's top two teams, they're still short on reliable fantasy options. After his eight-RBI performance Wednesday, however, I'm intrigued by Won Seok Lee ($3,600 DraftKings, $8 FanDuel). Even after that strong showing, his season slash line still sits at an unremarkable .239/.302/.435, but he's been a decent enough hitter over the past three seasons, posting an OPS of .767 or better each year. He's not an elite option, but he isn't priced as one, so he's worth a look Thursday against Twins starter Chan Heon Jung, who's struggled to a 5.06 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP through three starts this season.

Stacks to Consider

Bears vs. Min Kim: Jose Fernandez ($6,400 DraftKings, $18 FanDuel), Jae Il Oh ($3,800 DraftKings, $16 FanDuel), Jae Hwan Kim ($5,900 DraftKings, $17 FanDuel)

Wednesday's Bears stack was a complete dud, as the team managed just six hits all game. I'm happy to go right back to them Thursday with Min Kim on the mound, however. You don't have to look much further than Kim's 5.23 ERA or 1.60 WHIP to know that he's having a fairly poor season, but a deeper look paints him in an even worse light. It's taken a .246 BABIP just to get him to that ERA, and he's struck out just 12.4 percent of opposing batters while walking 15.5 percent. The 21-year-old didn't do much in his first two seasons in the league, either, never posting an ERA below 4.96 or a strikeout rate above 14.0 percent.

Fernandez is deservedly the most expensive player on both sites and leads this Bears stack, as he always does. He's riding a seven-game hitting streak and has at least one hit in all but three games this season. He sits second in RBI with 27 and owns an absurd .456/.487/.689 slash line, all while striking out just 7.0 percent of the time. There's not much more to say about his incredible start that hasn't been said already. Fernandez is worth a look almost whenever you can fit him into your budget, and that's especially true against Kim.

Oh remains surprisingly affordable on DraftKings, though he does face quite a bit of competition for the very deep first-base slot. He's worth strong consideration for that slot here, as he's looked good since returning from his side injury, grabbing a hit in all four of his starts since he's been back in the lineup. That's brought his season line to an excellent .375/.430/.611. Oh had managed an OPS of .920 or better in four straight seasons from 2015 to 2018 before the ball was de-juiced, and he appears to be heading for another season in that territory again this year with the ball flying again.

I remain somewhat down on Jae Hwan Kim, whose price hasn't dropped despite an extended slump which has seen him hit just .200/.279/.300 over his last 16 games. If there's a game where it's worth betting on a bounceback for the cleanup hitter, however, it's this one, Min Kim's poor numbers. When things are going well, the former MVP is one of the best hitters in the league, as he managed an OPS north of 1.000 for three straight seasons from 2016 to 2018 and had an OPS of 1.178 with four homers through his first 10 games this year.

Tigers vs. Kyung Eun Noh: Preston Tucker ($6,300 DraftKings, $17 FanDuel), Hyung Woo Choi ($5,700 DraftKings, $11 FanDuel), Sun Bin Kim ($4,200 DraftKings, $9 FanDuel)

Noh was out of the league entirely in 2019, pitching in the Australian Baseball League. That was hardly a surprise, as he'd recorded a 5.94 ERA over his previous five seasons. He's back in his home country for his age-36 season, but it doesn't look like things will go any better for him this time around. Through four starts, he owns a poor 5.57 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP while striking out just 14.9 percent of opposing batters. It's unlikely that he'll give the Tigers a particularly tough time in this one.

The left-handed Tucker should be in for a big game against the right-handed Noh, and he'll need one if he's to justify his very high price tag. While he's cooled off a bit from his blistering start, it's not as if he's been anything close to bad, as he's posting a .313/.353/.563 slash line over his last eight games. His home run Wednesday was his seventh of the season, good for fourth in the league, while he still leads the league with 28 RBI.

Choi is a steal on FanDuel, but this matchup and his track record suggest he could be worth his high price tag on DraftKings as well. The veteran cleanup hitter owns a solid .284/.405/.453 slash line this year, though if he finished the year with those numbers, it would be his first with an OPS below .900 since 2012. He should have a good chance to drive in whoever Tucker doesn't with a shaky righty on the mound for the Giants.

Number two hitter Kim could be the one most frequently driven in by Tucker and Choi. He gets a boost on DraftKings thanks to his shortstop eligibility, though his numbers stand on their own. Through 26 games, he's hitting .359/.464/.424. He's never hit more than five homers in a season, but he has an excellent eye, walking 25 more times than he's struck out over the course of his 12-year career.