This article is part of our DraftKings KBO series.
The KBO serves up a three-game slate Thursday that once again leaves us with narrow player pool. Luckily, there are two solid viable pitchers to work with and a third consideration, while there's enough appealing matchups to identify four bats at varying price points that I think can deliver solid returns.
I also have only one stack I particularly like for Thursday's slate, as the matchups don't appear to line up well on paper for a second team to be considered for a potential offensive breakout.
Pitchers
Wilmer Font ($8,400) has been at his best at home this season with a 5-1 record, 3.14 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and .161 BAA across 63 innings (11 starts). The right-hander has also been lights out against the Bears, furnishing a 2-0 record, 0.82 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and .160 BAA across three starts, leading to an average of 31.1 DK points per game during that span. Doosan is a dangerous team overall, but on such a small slate and with Font having the track record he has versus the Bears, he's too good to pass up.
Eui Lee Lee ($7,800) has the luxury of facing a weak-hitting Hanwha team that he's already dominated this season, as the southpaw owns a 2-0 record, 0.82 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and .143 BAA across two starts versus the Eagles. Lee also boasts a 3-2 mark, 3.10 ERA and .193 BAA across 52.1 home frames (11 starts), leading to an average of 16 DK points per start. The Eagles check in struggling as well, with a KBO-low 2.9 runs per game and a .226 team batting average over the last 10 contests.
ALSO CONSIDER: Min Woo Kim ($7,500)
Top Targets/Bargain Bats
Jeong Choi ($5,500) has slugged 33 homers overall this season, 18 of which have come at home as part of a .303/.429/.612 slash line there across 64 games. The veteran even has eight stolen bases for good measure and a solid .288 average with runners in scoring position, and he's posted a .961 OPS overall. Doosan starter Won Joon Choi does have a very impressive 12-3 record, but he has allowed 14 homers over 147.2 innings on the season, leaving open the possibility of a Choi round tripper while he's in there.
Chang Ki Hong ($4,400) sports a nice salary for a player slashing .326/.453/.412 on the season, a line that includes 32 XBH and 51 RBI. Hong is swinging a hot bat at the moment, averaging 9.0 DK points per contest over his last 10 games on the strength of a .303 average and .883 OPS during that span. The matchup lines up nicely for him Thursday, as opposing starter Chan Heon Jeong has allowed a .296 average overall, and a .378 figure, along with a 7.56 ERA and 1.80 WHIP, in 8.1 innings against Hong's Twins squad.
Jung Hoo Lee ($4,300) sports a .347 average, .922 OPS and average of 9.1 DK points per contest on the season, and he's furnished an impressive .318 average and .895 OPS in 56 road games. Meanwhile, LG starter Jun Hyeung Lim has pitched to some contact in his three appearances at home thus far, allowing 12 hits over 10 innings on his way to a .316 BAA and 1.40 WHIP in that sample.
Eun Seong Chae ($4,200) has put together a well-balanced .277/.356/.461 slash line that's partly constituted of 34 XBH, 71 RBI, four steals and 58 runs. Chae also has an impressive .296 average with runners in scoring position, and he's been lethal against Kiwoom pitching all season as evidenced by his .438 average, 1.116 OPS and average of 12.3 DK points across 12 games versus the Heroes.
Stacks to Consider
Twins vs. Chan Heon Jeong: Chang Ki Hong ($4,400); Hyun Soo Kim ($4,600); Geon Chang Seo ($4,000); Eun Seong Chae ($4,200)
Jung's prior struggles against LG were already detailed in Hong's entry, and it's also worth noting the Twins check in with the fourth-most home runs (107) in the KBO and averaging the third-most runs (4.7) over the last 10 games.
Hong's attributes were already covered in his entry, while Kim comes in with a solid .286 average, .812 OPS, 39 XBH and 87 RBI. Seo has been solid both at home and against Kiwoom pitching, posting .268 averages in each of those splits and averaging 7.5 DK points per game in the latter sample (15 games). Finally, Chae's attributes were already covered earlier in his entry.
