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With the MLB regular season still a couple of weeks away, we don’t have to wait any longer for some professional baseball and — most importantly — baseball DFS. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) is underway and DraftKings has welcomed the KBO into the fold with contests for big prizes. On Wednesday morning, the action gets underway at 5:30 a.m. ET.
What do we know about the league? Who should we be putting into lineups? Let’s figure out all this together, position-by-position.
Set your lineups here: KBO $35K Relay Throw [$10K to 1st] (Korean Baseball)
Curious about when major leagues and events will return? Check out our DraftKings Sports Calendar for the latest updates.
PITCHER
Stud
Raul Alcantara, DOO vs. SK, $9,500 - While there’s a case to be made that Eric Jokisch ($10,000) will carry the lower ownership on Wednesday, Alcantara is in too good a spot to ignore. The Bears (-250) are the biggest favorites on the slate according to DraftKings Sportsbook, so the right-hander’s win expectancy is high. On top of that, Alcantara has compiled a pristine 2.04 ERA across his past five starts; a span of 35 1⁄3 innings where he’s also managed to strike out 34 opposing hitters. The import has been coming on strong lately and I’d anticipate he takes advantage of SK’s lowly .360 team slugging percentage.
Value
Tyler Wilson, LG at LOT, $7,000 - This is the cheapest Wilson has been in months and while that’s somewhat justified by his recent underwhelming results, this might just be the RHP’s ideal matchup. Basically, Wilson has been a completely different pitcher when getting to face RHBs in 2020. To wit, while lefties are batting .323 with a .786 OPS against the import this season, righties are hitting a microscopic .225 with a .631 OPS across 143 plate appearances. Additionally, Wilson’s managed a 20.3% strikeout rate within the latter split as compared to an 11.8% mark versus LHBs. This is good news for Wilson on Wednesday, as the Giants are an extremely right-handed lineup. In fact, aside from Ah Seop Son ($3,800), Lotte’s top seven bats by wRC+ all hit from the right side.
CATCHER
Stud
Dong Won Park, KIW vs. NCD, $5,400 - Park loves facing lefties. The catcher has mustered a massive .719 slugging percentage in his 32 at-bats within the split so far in 2020, with five of his seven hits having left the ballpark. Park’s also been swinging a hot bat in general, with four extra-base hits in his past four games. This all should translate to a big performance against Sung Young Choi ($6,300), a southpaw who has conceded a whopping 2.12 home runs per nine this season.
Value
Se Hyuk Park, DOO vs. SK, $4,000 - Park has been one of the best bats in Doosan’s powerful lineup the past two weeks, slashing .429/.475/.543 across his past 10 contests. On Wednesday, he’ll draw a favorable left-on-right matchup against Ricardo Pinto ($7,300), a man who has been plagued by LHBs in 2020. In fact, lefties have combined to produce an .824 OPS against the import in 162 plate appearances.
FIRST BASE
Stud
Roberto Ramos, LG at LOT, $4,900 - After the Twins were held to just a pair of hits on Tuesday, I’m looking for the offense to turn things around against Adrian Sampson ($7,700). Yes, the RHP has been throwing better over his past four outings. However, Sampson is still allowing left-handed batters to hit to an enticing .841 OPS this season. For Ramos, who has multiple hits in three of his past six games, this only means an even more elevated ceiling than usual.
Value
Joo Hwan Choi, DOO vs. SK, $4,000 - As much as this is simply about Pinto’s aforementioned struggles with LHBs, Choi’s viability is a product of his own success. With a ninth-inning triple on Tuesday, the 32-year-old extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Maybe more impressive than that, Choi has also now has hit safely in 25 of his past 26 contests, with his lone hitless performance coming all the way back on June 26 against the Dinos. Needless to say, he’s a high-floor asset.
SECOND BASE
Stud
Jose Fernandez, DOO vs. SK, $6,200 - Prior to an 0-for-3 showing on Tuesday, Fernandez had mustered four home runs and a 1.071 OPS across his past 10 games. So, to be clear, the 32-year-old is very much in the midst of a hot streak at the dish. Helping him to keep the good times rolling on Wednesday will be the presence of the right-handed Pinto. Fernandez has hit 10 of his 11 long balls off of RHPs so far in 2020, equating out to a .590 slugging percentage within the split.
Value
Kyung Soo Park, KTW vs. HAN, $3,500 - On Tuesday, Park smashed his 100th home run since the beginning of 2015, a feat that truly showcases the veteran infielder’s ceiling. Still, if you need a more recent stretch of play to justify drafting the 36-year-old, consider that Park is hitting .323 with three long balls so far in the month of July. Add that to a .632 slugging percentage against left-handed pitching for the entirety of 2020 and Bum Soo Kim ($6,000) appears to be in some trouble.
THIRD BASE
Stud
Jae Gyun Hwang, KTW vs. HAN, $6,000 - Much like his teammate Park, Hwang has taken advantage of almost every opportunity he’s received against southpaw pitching in 2020. Across 48 at-bats within the split, the 32-year-old is hitting .354 with a .542 slugging percentage. Considering the previously mentioned Kim is also surrendering an .868 OPS to opposing RHBs, Hwang might just end up being worth his hefty price tag on Wednesday.
Value
Suk Min Park, NCD at KIW, $4,100 - I can completely understand any hesitation to test the KBO’s ERA leader in Jokisch, but with few viable options below the $4K mark at third base on Wednesday, I’ll take a shot with the pedigree of Park. The veteran has been crushing opposing pitchers as of late, with 14 hits, three home runs and 11 RBI in his past 40 at-bats. Not to mention, last season Park was able to put up some ridiculous numbers when facing LHPs.
SHORTSTOP
Stud
Ha Seong Kim, KIW vs. NCD, $6,100 - Few have begun the month of July with quite as big a bang as Kim. Through 12 games and 46 at-bats, the 24-year-old is batting .348 with a jaw-dropping .652 slugging percentage. So, while a majority of the infielder’s success this season has come in right-on-right matchups, I’ll still trust Kim to put together a few great plate appearances on Wednesday against the left-handed Choi. I mean, the Dinos’ starter is sporting a 7.20 FIP. Yikes.
Value
Ji Hwan Oh, LG at LOT, $3,500 - Unlike most of his teammates, Oh was actually able to get a hit on Tuesday night against Dan Straily. In fact, the shortstop’s eighth-inning double was his fourth extra-base hit in his past six games as Oh continues to rake at the plate following a slow month of May. With LHBs having haunted Sampson all season long, Oh comes in at a very nice price on this slate.
OUTFIELD
Stud
Mel Rojas Jr., KTW vs. HAN, $6,400 - While Rojas has technically been mashing the ball from both sides of the plate in 2020, his numbers as a right-handed hitter at the stuff of legend. In 62 at-bats within the split so far this season, Rojas is hitting .452 with a .903 slugging percentage that honestly looks like a misprint. The import already leads the KBO in almost every conceivable offensive category, yet he still might find a way to exceed expectations on Wednesday.
Value
Ji Wan Na, KIA at SAM, $4,100 - To say it’s been a productive five-game stretch for Na would be a huge understatement. Going back to July 8, the veteran has collected eight hits, three home runs and 12 RBI in a span that’s made DFS owners very, very happy. Na will have a great opportunity to continue that run of success on Wednesday, as the Tigers draw the left-handed Jung Hyun Baek ($6,700), who has allowed a .905 OPS to the RHBs he’s faced in 2020.
Set your lineups here: KBO $35K Relay Throw [$10K to 1st] (Korean Baseball)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is theglt13) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.