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Eric Samulski’s KBO DFS lineup picks for contests on FanDuel and DraftKings on 6/5/20. Daily fantasy baseball analysis for pitchers, hitters and DFS stacks.
Welcome back, RotoBallers, to another KBO DFS pick column. If you haven't signed up for the RotoBaller Premium Slack chat, it's a great space to chat during the day about the lineups. You can also follow me and the other Rotoballer writers on Twitter. In particular, @efhatch1990dfs has his personal KBO DFS Cheat Sheets which you will now be able to find here on RotoBaller with the ease of a click.
New to KBO? Don't worry, we got you covered! DraftKings and FanDuel will use the same scoring system that they do for MLB, however, the roster builds are much different on FanDuel. You must roster two infielders, two outfielders, and two utility players along with a pitcher for a total of only seven players on FanDuel. DraftKings has kept its normal MLB structure with two starting pitchers and an entire eight-hitter lineup for a total of ten players.
Building lineups on each site is going to be a good bit different on most nights, but I've tried to give you enough options and thoughts behind each option so that you can make the best decision based on your build preference. Today, I'll be providing my KBO DFS lineup picks and analysis for this five-game slate on DraftKings and FanDuel that locks at 5:30 AM on Friday, June 5, 2020. You can check our daily KBO Betting Picks as well, where Steve has been crushing it.
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KBO DFS Pitchers
Mike Wright (NC)
$9.1K DraftKings, $27 FanDuel
Mike Wright is the highest-priced pitcher on the slate, but I can't see any lineup I have not including him. For one, there are too many question marks and poor matchups with the other pitchers on the slate, and Mike Wright's matchup is as tasty as it gets. Wright himself has been solid, if unspectacular, throughout the year. Across five starts, he has a 3.23 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP with 24 strikeouts in 28 innings.
However, his last two starts haven't been great, including allowing four runs over six innings to this same Hanwha team. Since then, Hanwha has been on a real tailspin, and, to be blunt, Hanwha is the worst team in the league. They've lost 11 games in a row and are at the bottom of almost all offensive categories. Mike Wright would appear to be a lock for a win bonus and some potential for solid strikeout numbers.
Won-Tae Choi (KIW)
$8.9K DraftKings, $24 FanDuel
Won-Tae Choi may be the second-best pitcher on the slate from a talent standpoint. He's a 23-year-old who has gotten progressively better over his last three seasons in the KBO and comes into this game with a 3.67 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and three QS in his first five outings. In fact, aside from one bad outing on May 19th against SK, Choi has not allowed more than two earned runs in any start. He has only six walks in 27 IP, so he doesn't give away bases, but his 20 strikeouts suggest that he's not going to overpower a lineup.
The issue for Choi is that Kiwoom faces a strong LG lineup who are outside of their home stadium, which is a pitcher's park. LG has the fourth-highest team batting average and second-highest home run total in the league, but Choi has only given up one home run on the season, so he's going to make the Twins earn it. It just depends if you can stomach that risk.
Min-Woo Lee (KIA)
$7.2K DraftKings, $26 FanDuel
Lee is another solid pitcher with a bad matchup. He struggled in his first two starts of the year but has been strong over his last three, allowing four earned runs over 20 innings. His last start against LG was particularly strong, with him allowing one run on three hits over seven innings while striking out eight. In fact, he has only allowed 23 hits over 30.2 IP, which is one of the best ratios on the slate.
However, Lee goes up against a Doosan team that just scored 14 runs last night. They had been cold before, so there is a chance that Lee is catching them during a downward trend, but that's pure conjecture. One benefit in Lee's favorite is that Doosan's home park is a pitcher's park that suppresses power, so they will need to get to Lee often in order to put up a lot of runs. Since Lee limits hits at a strong rate, you could take a chance that he allows baserunners but not a lot of runs.
Other Options
- Jun-Woo Seo (LOT) - 6.4K DraftKings, $23 FanDuel - KT is a strong lineup, but Seo limited them to zero earned runs on five hits over six innings in his first start of the year. The 19-year-old has totally shut down Kiwoon and Doosan over his last two starts, allowing one earned run on eight hits over 12.2 IP. He's not a bad dart throw since KT is a streaky offense.
- Dae-Woo Kim (SAM) - 5.6K DraftKings, $23 FanDuel - Kim hasn't been great and also has not gone more than five innings this year, but he gets to face a mediocre SK lineup and his team is coming into this hot. If he can limit NC to three runs in five innings in his last start then it's possible he can hold SK to one or two and steal a win. Not bad for a budget price on DraftKings.
KBO Top Hitter Stacks
NC Dinos
So, we have the best team in the league going up against the worst team in the league. To top it off, the worst team in the league is throwing a starter who has a 6.93 ERA, 2.11 WHIP and has allowed 34 hits in 24.2 innings pitched. Oh, and the best team in the league is coming off of a 10-0 victory. Did I miss anything? The Dinos will be chalk but fade it at your own risk.
Main Targets:
- Sung Bum Na - OF (5.4K DraftKings, $16 FanDuel) - Na has actually been better versus left-handers this year, but you're not scoffing at .333 with eight HRs, 22 RBI and a 1.056 OPS. He hits in the middle of the lineup and is the best bet to be at the center of a bunch of rallies.
- Eui Ji Yang - C (6K DraftKings, $14 FanDuel) - Yang is becoming too hard to fit into lineups unless you go cheap at pitching, but he is far and away the best catcher for fantasy in the KBO. He had a HR and five RBI last night and is a great bet for a power outburst.
- Jin Sung Kang - 1B/OF (3.8K DraftKings, $10 FanDuel) - Kang was on fire early in the season but has begun to cool down of late (2-for-9 over his last three) and lost C eligibility on DraftKings. Still, he's hitting .439 on the season with five HRs and a 1.242 OPS and comes in at a cheap price, which makes him hard to fade.
- Min Woo Park - 2B (4.8K DraftKings, $13 FanDuel) - Park hits at the top of the lineup, which is always important for a stack. He's also 5-for-13 over his last four games, which makes me feel a little better about using him. If he's getting on base, he's going to score in this matchup.
Secondary Targets:
- Suk Min Park - SS (4.9K DraftKings, $10 FanDuel) - The breakthrough game is coming. Despite having five HRs on the season, he has more than one hit in only one of his last 15 games. He's riding a four-game hit streak, so maybe he breaks through tonight (tomorrow)?
- Jin Hyuk No - 2B/SS (3.4K DraftKings, $9 FanDuel) - He's coming off of a rest day yesterday, but he's been locked into the Dinos lineup in the number six spot and hitting .310 with four HRs on the season. Great for that price.
- Aaron Altherr - OF (4.9K DraftKings, $11 FanDuel) - Altherr has been hit or miss this year with a couple of rough patches, but he did go 1-3 with a HR last night and has six long balls on the season. His price is dropping, which makes him slightly more palatable.
- Hee Dong Kwon - OF (2.3K DraftKings, $7 FanDuel) - Kwon has started six games in a row for the Dinos and even hit second last night, walking four times and scoring three runs. He's a great salary-saver to still get a piece of this lineup.
Kia Tigers
The Tigers are riding a three-game win streak and head on the road to face perhaps the second-worst true starting pitcher on the slate. Young-ha Lee was solid last year for the Bears, but the 22-year-old has never exactly had what we'd call good command. Last year he walked 61 and struck out 90 in 163.1 IP; this year he's walked 19 and struck out 17 in 28 IP.
That's not what you want to see if you're Doosan, especially since Kia has worked 102 walks, which is second-best in the league. Aside from a solid first start to the season, Lee has been dancing around trouble, including giving up seven hits and six runs across five innings against Samsung and seven hits and four runs over four innings against NC.
Kia has some talent in its lineup. They have the fifth-highest average in the league and the second-most home runs. As mentioned, they will work the count and take walks, which is exactly how you're going to score in Doosan since the park limits home runs. I like Kia to scrap together a few rallies early on, and if they chase Lee from the game, they will get to face one of the worst bullpens in the league, which has compiled a 5.70 ERA.
Main Targets:
- Preston Tucker - OF (6.1K DraftKings, $17 FanDuel) - Tucker homered again last night, which was his second game in a row. He has the power to lift it out of the pitcher's park, but he also has a .336 average and hits in the middle of the lineup, so he could drive in a few runs.
- Sun-Bin Kim - SS (4K DraftKings, $9 FanDuel) - Kim hits at the top of the Tigers' lineup and has been finding his footing of late with hits in four of his last five. He's kind of an empty batting average, but he will score runs due to his position in the lineup
- Ji Wan Na - OF (3.5K DraftKings, $9 FanDuel) - Na is another Tigers hitter that is finding his groove. He's gone 8-for-18 over his last four games while scoring seven runs. He boasts a .337 average, a .947 OPS, and hits in the middle of the order, so he's a nice option in a stack at his price.
Secondary Targets:
- Hyung-woo Choi - 1B/OF (5.5K DraftKings, $11 FanDuel) - Choi is a solid power hitter in the clean-up spot for the Tigers and has a six-game hitting streak, but his salary on DraftKings makes it tough to pay up for power in a park that saps it. Still, he does hit clean-up, so there will likely be RBI chances.
- Min-Sang Yoo - 1B (3.5K DraftKings, $7 FanDuel) - Yoo is a left-handed hitter who comes in on a five-game hitting streak in which he's gone 11-for-20. He doesn't have a lot of power, but the park suppresses power anyways, so that doesn't hurt his potential value at a discount price.
- Ho-reyong Kim - OF (3.2K DraftKings, $5 FanDuel) - Kim is a 28-year-old who hasn't played in the KBO since 2017 due to injury. He's been active for the last three games, hitting leadoff for the Tigers and has gone 4-for-12 with two HRs, four RBIs, five R, and a 1.429 OPS in those three games, scoring 14 of more DraftKings points in each game. I'll take that upside at that price.
Small DFS Stacks
Samsung Lions
The Lions have been on a hot streak, winning seven of their last ten games and will now get to face SK and Ricardo Pinto. Although many people recognize Pinto's name, his American track record automatically doesn't make him a strong option. Even in his quality start against Hanwha last outing, he walked six batters and gave up three runs over the six innings.
In the start before, he danced out of trouble, allowing only one earned run over seven innings against Kia, but he gave up 13 hits. In the two starts before that, he got blasted by KIW and LG. I think the Lions can get runners on base, but Pinto's ability to avoid danger so far leads me from recommending them as a full-stack.
Main Targets:
- Tyler Saladino - 3B/SS (3.9K DraftKings, $8 FanDuel) - Saladino has been hitting the ball well, and his price hasn't been adjusted. Before going 0-2 yesterday, he had been on a seven-game hitting streak that saw him go 13-for-28 with three home runs. He hits in the middle of the lineup and has the power to put up points with one swing.
- Sang-su Kim - 2B (4.7K DraftKings, $9 FanDuel) - Kim is the lead-off hitter for the Lions and has been starting to come around of late. I honestly don't love him as an option, but he has some stretches of double-digit fantasy outputs and his place at the top of the order makes him intriguing if you choose to bet on the Lions offense.
- Seung-gyu Park- OF (2.4K DraftKings, $5 FanDuel) - Park has started the last two games since sitting out on Tuesday, so it's possible the Lions roll with him again. After all, he is hitting .382 on the season.
- Dong Yeop Kim - OF (3.1K DraftKings, $9 FanDuel) - Keep an eye on the lineup because he's been struggling of late and is not a lock to play, but Kim leads the Lions with five home runs, so he can be a factor in any game.
Won-Seok Lee - 3B (3.8K DraftKings, $8 FanDuel) was hit in the hand by a grounder last game and sent to the hospital for x-rays. He was cleared of a fracture, but I would assume he sits this one out.
Lotte Giants
I know, I know. I'm crazy. The Lotte offense has been garbage. But, hear me, out: the matchup is so good. Lotte is getting a bullpen game versus KT since the KT starter hasn't thrown more than one inning in any of his nine appearances this year.
KT also has the worst staff in the league, with a 5.98 team ERA. I'm not saying the Giants will win, I'm saying that I think they're gonna score some runs.
Main Targets:
- Dae Ho Lee - 1B (4.3K DraftKings, $16 FanDuel) - Lee has hits in nine of his last 10 games and has a .333 average on the season. He has only two HRs on the season, so the power may be gone, but he hits cleanup and could knock in some runs.
- Ah Seop Son - OF (3.8K DraftKings, $12 FanDuel) - The Giants' lead-off hitter his a six-game hitting streak and a .330 average on the season. If they score runs, he's likely to be the one scoring them.
- Jun Woo Jeon - OF (4.5K DraftKings, $10 FanDuel) - Jeon is the Giants' power hitter with four home runs on the season. He's been quiet of late, but he hits second in the order and could be the guy to put one out.
Intriguing One-Offs
I just want to end by pointing out that Kiwoom is a solid offense and Chan-gyu Lim hasn't been as strong for LG as his numbers suggest. On the other side, LG has been particularly strong on the road, where their power plays up, so if you're looking for some one-off differentiation, it might not be a bad idea to sprinkle one or two hitters from this game into your lineups for salary reasons.
Good luck in your DFS contests everyone. Be sure to stop back every day for some more KBO DFS analysis here at RotoBaller!
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