This article is part of our Dream11 Fantasy KBO series.
Kiwoom Heroes (39-31) at Doosan Bears (40-28)
July 28th, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected Starters
LHP Eric Jokisch (9-3, 2.12 ERA) vs RHP Raul Alcantara (10-1, 2.89 ERA)
Game Preview
The Bears and the Heroes are two of the best teams in the KBO this season, and both are vying for a playoff spot while chasing the league-leading NC Dinos. The Bears have two more wins than Kiwoom and sit in second place of the standings, and they have gone 6-4 in their last 10 games. As a comparison, the Heroes have won just four of their last 10 contests. The season series between these two teams shows two wins apiece. The pitching matchup in this one will be a delight, as lefty Eric Jokisch will face righty Raul Alcantara. Jokisch has posted a 2.12 ERA in 2020, while Alcantara has recorded a league-leading 10 wins while delivering a 2.89 ERA. Whoever gets a nod on the mound could have huge chances to get the win.
Injuries
Bears
Chris Flexen - Out - Foot
7/17 8:54 PM IST - Flexen suffered a broken left foot in his last start Thursday, according to chosun.com. Flexen was struck by a batted ball in the first inning of Thursday's contest. Although he finished the frame, he was removed from the contest afterward and will now likely miss at least a month.
Yong Chan Lee - Out - Elbow
6/4 2:49 PM IST - Lee will undergo Tommy John surgery and is expected to
Kiwoom Heroes (39-31) at Doosan Bears (40-28)
July 28th, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected Starters
LHP Eric Jokisch (9-3, 2.12 ERA) vs RHP Raul Alcantara (10-1, 2.89 ERA)
Game Preview
The Bears and the Heroes are two of the best teams in the KBO this season, and both are vying for a playoff spot while chasing the league-leading NC Dinos. The Bears have two more wins than Kiwoom and sit in second place of the standings, and they have gone 6-4 in their last 10 games. As a comparison, the Heroes have won just four of their last 10 contests. The season series between these two teams shows two wins apiece. The pitching matchup in this one will be a delight, as lefty Eric Jokisch will face righty Raul Alcantara. Jokisch has posted a 2.12 ERA in 2020, while Alcantara has recorded a league-leading 10 wins while delivering a 2.89 ERA. Whoever gets a nod on the mound could have huge chances to get the win.
Injuries
Bears
Chris Flexen - Out - Foot
7/17 8:54 PM IST - Flexen suffered a broken left foot in his last start Thursday, according to chosun.com. Flexen was struck by a batted ball in the first inning of Thursday's contest. Although he finished the frame, he was removed from the contest afterward and will now likely miss at least a month.
Yong Chan Lee - Out - Elbow
6/4 2:49 PM IST - Lee will undergo Tommy John surgery and is expected to miss at least a year, Daniel Kim of DKTV reports. Lee has started regularly for Doosan since 2018, but his 2020 season will come to an early and abrupt end as a result of his elbow injury. It remains to be seen who will enter the rotation in Lee's place, as the Giants have only needed five starting pitchers to date.
Se Hyuk Park - 10-Day IL - Knee
7/23 9:08 PM IST - Park was placed on the injured list Thursday with a sore right knee, according to chosun.com. Park is not dealing with a major injury, according to manager Tae Hyoung Kim, but the team decided it would be best to give him a few days to rest and recover. Sang Ho Chung is next in line behind the plate, but he has struggled at the plate this season, so Seung Hyun Jang could see some action as well.
Myung Joon Yoon - Out - Not Injury Related
7/17 3:11 PM IST - Yoon was removed from Doosan's roster Friday, Su Jin Park of Star News reports. The sixth-year pitcher will receive some time to recharge after surrendering five runs through his last 6.1 innings. Because of this recent drop in form, Yoon now has a 5.04 ERA over 26 games.
Heroes
Jake Brigham - Out - Elbow
7/27 11:19 PM IST - Brigham will undergo tests Monday to determine if he will miss more time with his elbow injury, according to chosun.com. Brigham was scratched from his scheduled start Sunday after feeling soreness in his elbow, and he will be examined further in order to determine exactly what type of injury he is dealing with. Brigham missed nearly two months earlier this season with an elbow injury, and he could be looking at another absence. However, the team is hoping for good news Monday; and if that comes true he could rejoin the rotation later this week.
Byung Wook Lim - 10-Day IL - Hamstring
7/22 2:22 AM IST - Lim is still dealing with inflammation in his right hamstring and remains without a clear timeline to rejoin the Heroes' active roster, Soo-Jin Park of the Money Today Star News reports. When Lim went down with the injury in the second game of a doubleheader with the Twins on May 16, the Heroes projected him to miss 6-to-8 weeks. That timeline was evidently too conservative, as the outfielder is not yet ready to even begin a rehab assignment in the Futures League some two months later. Prior to going down with the injury, Lim had appeared in 11 games for the Heroes, hitting .278 with three stolen bases and six RBI.
Heroes' Expected Lineup
SP - Eric Jokisch
1. Keon Chang Seo
2. Ha Seong Kim
3. Jung Hoo Lee
4. Addison Russell
5. Byung Ho Park
6. Dong Won Park
7. Woong Bin Kim
8. Hye Sung Kim
9. Joon Tae Park
Bears' Expected Lineup
SP - Raul Alcantara
1. Kun Woo Park
2. Jose Fernandez
3. Jae Il Oh
4. Jae Hwan Kim
5. Joo Hwan Choi
6. Kyoung Min Hur
7. Jae Ho Kim
8. Soo Bin Jung
9. Sang Ho Chung
Top Picks
Jose Fernandez, Bears: Fernandez has been one of the best offensive players in the league this season, and he should get consideration as a popular pick regardless of the stack any user might go with. The slugging first baseman went 2-for-4 in his last game, and he has hit for .338 (27-for-80) with five homers and 14 RBI this month.
Jung Hoo Lee, Heroes: Lee has only hit .214 with a .294 on-base percentage in four games against the Bears this season, but he has been one of the best players for the Heroes in 2020. He has hit .305 with five homers and 18 RBI across 82 July at-bats.
Raul Alcantara, Bears: Alcantara is tied for the league lead in wins with 10, and he has posted 12 quality starts as well. The right-hander has posted a stellar 2.89 ERA with a 1.80 WHIP, besting what he did in 2019 when he posted a 4.01 ERA with a 1.25 WHIP.
Keon Chang Seo, Heroes: Seo has hit for just .250 with a .364 on-base percentage in his last 10 games, but he's had success against the Bears earlier this year. In 17 at-bats against Doosan, the second baseman has posted a .471 average with a .500 on-base percentage.
Captaincy Options
Dream11 Team
P – Raul Alcantara
C – Sang Ho Chung
IF – Jose Fernandez (C)
IF – Jae Il Oh
IF – Jae Won Oh
IF – Keon Chang Seo
OF – Jung Hoo Lee (VC)
OF – Soo Bin Jung
OF – Joon Tae Park