This article is part of our Dream11 Fantasy KBO series.
NC Dinos (57-36-3) at Samsung Lions (45-52-1)
Saturday, September 5th, 4:00 AM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Min Hyuk Shin (2-1, 5.73 ERA) vs RHP In Wook Jung (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Game Preview
It's not a secret that the Dinos have been one of the most inconsistent teams in the KBO over the last few weeks, trading excellent games with really poor performances. They have enough talent to be treated as a playoff threat, but they have not been playing at their best of late and might even lose the top spot in the standings sooner than later. As for the Lions, they've struggled most of the year and seem set to finish outside of the playoff picture once again. Further increasing things for the Dinos, Min Hyuk Shin will get the start and will be backed by a solid offense, while In Wook Jung will take the ball for the Lions in what will be the first start of the season for him.
Injuries
NC Dinos
Sung Young Choi - Out - Not Injury Related
8/24 10:25 PM IST - Choi was removed from the Lions' roster Monday, according to OSEN. Choi started regularly for the Dinos the last couple months, but he was not sharp over his last few starts, so the club decided to remove him from both the rotation and the roster for the time being. It remains to be seen who will take the ball next time Choi's spot in the rotation comes up.
NC Dinos (57-36-3) at Samsung Lions (45-52-1)
Saturday, September 5th, 4:00 AM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Min Hyuk Shin (2-1, 5.73 ERA) vs RHP In Wook Jung (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Game Preview
It's not a secret that the Dinos have been one of the most inconsistent teams in the KBO over the last few weeks, trading excellent games with really poor performances. They have enough talent to be treated as a playoff threat, but they have not been playing at their best of late and might even lose the top spot in the standings sooner than later. As for the Lions, they've struggled most of the year and seem set to finish outside of the playoff picture once again. Further increasing things for the Dinos, Min Hyuk Shin will get the start and will be backed by a solid offense, while In Wook Jung will take the ball for the Lions in what will be the first start of the season for him.
Injuries
NC Dinos
Sung Young Choi - Out - Not Injury Related
8/24 10:25 PM IST - Choi was removed from the Lions' roster Monday, according to OSEN. Choi started regularly for the Dinos the last couple months, but he was not sharp over his last few starts, so the club decided to remove him from both the rotation and the roster for the time being. It remains to be seen who will take the ball next time Choi's spot in the rotation comes up.
Chang Mo Koo - 10-Day IL - Forearm
9/4 4:06 PM IST - Koo will miss at least two more weeks with a fractured left forearm, per Yonhap News. Koo's return date has been pushed to mid-September because of an additional checkup revealing several fractures Thursday. The Dinos have struggled without Koo around, and their chances at finishing in first place may be in jeopardy now that he is out longer.
Jae Hak Lee - Out - Not Injury Related
8/20 10:00 PM IST - Lee was sent to the minors after his last start and will not start Friday, according to chosun.com. Lee's spot in the rotation comes up Friday, but he will not fill it this time through, as he was demoted after being tagged for 10 earned runs his last time out. Myung Gi Song will get the start Friday in Lee's place.
Chang Min Mo - Out - Back
9/4 10:43 PM IST - Mo was removed from the Dinos' roster Friday due to a back injury, according to MBN. It does not appear Mo is dealing with a serious injury, but he will miss at least several games. Mo played sparingly the last few weeks, so don't expect his absence to have a notable impact on the Dinos' lineups.
Samsung Lions
Jung Hyun Baek - Out - Elbow
7/23 1:53 AM IST - Samsung removed Baek from its active roster Wednesday due to a left elbow sprain, Hyun-Seok Jeong of The Chosun Ilbo reports. The southpaw picked up the injury coming out of his start Tuesday, during which he surrendered five runs on nine hits over 5.1 innings. Seong Hwan Yoon is expected to assume Baek's spot in the rotation.
Young Jin Choi - Out - Ankle
7/28 2:51 AM IST - Choi will miss about six weeks with an ankle injury, according to chosun.com. Choi was diagnosed with ligament damage after leaving Sunday's game with the injury, and he is now facing an extended absence. Choi has been one of the Lions' top hitters against lefties this season, but the team will need to turn elsewhere against southpaws until he is ready to return.
Yoon Dong Heo - Out - Not Injury Related
8/27 9:47 PM IST - Heo was removed from the Lions' roster Thursday, according to the team's official Twitter account. Heo was called up to start Wednesday's game, but he was not sharp, so the team decided to send him back down for the time being.
Hak Ju Lee - Out - Not Injury Related
8/24 9:44 PM IST - Lee was removed from the Lions' roster Monday, according to OSEN. Lee rejoined Samsung's first team last week after spending time in the minors, but he went hitless in eight at-bats over three games, so the Lions sent him back down to continue working on his swing.
Sung Hwan Yoon - Out - Not Injury Related
8/21 10:58 PM IST - Yoon surrendered four runs on two hits and three walks through 1.2 innings in Friday's 8-6 loss to SK. He hit two batters. Yoon pitched his shortest game of 2020 by throwing 41 pitches and netting only five outs. A late Samsung lead prevented the loss, but he remains winless with an displeasing 1.61 WHIP and 5.3 BB/9 across five starts.
Samsung Lions Expected Lineup
SP - In Wook Jung
1. Hae Min Park
2. Sang Su Kim
3. Ja Wook Koo
4. Daniel Palka
5. Won Seok Lee
6. Min Ho Kang
7. Heon Gon Kim
9. Ji Chan Kim
NC Dinos Expected Lineup
SP - Min Hyuk Shin
1. Min Woo Park
2. Myung Gi Lee
3. Sung Bum Na
4. Eui Ji Yang
6. Suk Min Park
8. Jin Hyuk No
Top Picks From Each Team
Eui Ji Yang, Dinos: Yang went 3-for-6 with an RBI in Friday's 5-5 tie with the Twins. Yang was good -- but not 2019 good -- over the first two and a half months of the season; but he has hit like he did last year since returning from a brief IL stint in late July, going 39-for-110 (.355) with seven homers, 27 RBI and a 1.021 OPS over his last 30 games. The fact that he is a catcher boosts his value even more.
Ja Wook Koo, Lions: Koo went 4-for-5 with two home runs, four total RBI and four total runs scored in Friday's win over the Bears. Koo blasted a three-run shot off starter Hui Kwan Yu in the second inning, and he added a solo shot off reliever Hyung Bum Lee in the seventh. He now has 10 homers on the season to go along with 49 RBI, 13 stolen bases and a .888 OPS in 325 plate appearances.
Captaincy Options
- Eui Ji Yang
- Sung Bum Na
- Ja Wook Koo
- Aaron Altherr
Dream11 Team
P – Min Hyuk Shin
C – Eui Ji Yang (C)
IF – Ji Chan Kim
IF – Jin Hyuk No
IF – Ho Jae Kim
OF – Aaron Altherr
OF – Ja Wook Koo
OF – Myung Gi Lee
OF – Sung Bum Na (VC)