Like many things in this world, predicting outcomes in the KBO can be difficult. Heading home as a -225 favorite, the NC Dinos lost 8-2 to the SK Wyverns who extended their win streak to five games after climbing out of the basement sweeping Hanwha over the weekend. Lotte broke their 12 game homerless streak but still lost on the road to Kia and Roberto Ramos returned to the LG Twins but they lost in a shutout against Samsung. Here’s the updated standings courtesy of the KBO’s new handle on Twitter:
?June 2nd? Game scores for today!
— KBO (@KBOleague) June 2, 2020
? Check out the latest KBO standings ????#KBO #KBOLeague #scores #standings pic.twitter.com/LPSiAeRSqC
Now for the performances worth noting on Tuesday which will not include the implosion by Odrisamer Despaigne giving up 15 hits and 10 earned runs to Doosan. Kudos to Despaigne for wearing it but his volatility makes him such a tough DFS target. He entered this game with a 1.69 ERA, 2.50 FIP and 0.94 WHIP leaving it with his ratios inflated to the tune of a 3.89 ERA along with a 1.22 WHIP.
Starting Pitcher Spotlight
Samsung’s Tae-in Won notched his third win firing seven shutout innings allowing five hits and striking out three against the LG Twins. Won lowered his ERA to 2.45 over 33 innings with a 21:8 K:BB and 1.12 WHIP as a result.
In his first loss of the season, LG’s Min-ho Lee recorded his first quality start in two attempts giving up five hits, two earned runs and two walks with seven strikeouts to Samsung. Lee’s only logged 16.1 innings with a 1.10 ERA since entering the rotation.
Ki-young Im tossed six innings yielding seven hits, two earned runs and a walk with five strikeouts for his third win in four decisions. Im’s 3.67 ERA this year comes with an enticing 24:4 K:BB over 27 innings of work for Kia.
Seung-won Moon shocked the KBO entering his contest against the Dinos with a 6.24 ERA but a 3.84 FIP. Moon returned to his form from last year lasting seven innings allowing three hits, one earned run and two walks with eight strikeouts. His ERA in 2020 fell to 5.06 after this outing but it’s still a far cry from the 3.88 he recorded last year.
Kiwoom’s Hyun-hee Han worked seven innings giving up seven hits, three runs (two earned) and struck out five for his second win of the season.
Hitter Highlights
Kiwoom Heroes
Hye-sung Kim (2B) - Doing his best Wally Pipp impersonation, Kim went 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBI and walked twice. He’s hit safely in five straight games and tallied 10 hits his last three starts with teammate Keon-chang Seo on the bench nursing inflammation in his elbow.
Ha-seong Kim (SS) - Finished 1-for-4 with a run and walked twice.
Jung-hoo Lee (OF) - Racked up two hits including a double, scored three runs, drove in one and walked.
Byung-ho Park (1B) - For an offense searching for power, a hot Park could go a long way towards a surge in the standings. Park launched his sixth home run and drove in three runs on a 2-for-3 contest along with drawing two walks.
Woong-bin Kim (DH) - In only his third start this year, Kim hit his first home run among his two hits in five at-bats driving in four runs.
Byung-woo Jeon (3B) - Back with Kiwoom, Jeon’s making the most of his return going 4-for-5 with two RBI. He’s recorded consecutive multi-hit games trying to take Taylor Motter ’s spot in the lineup.
Doosan Bears
Jose Miguel Fernandez (DH) - Making almost his daily appearance in the Round Up, Fernandez went 2-for-5 hitting his fifth home run and drove in four. He now leads the KBO in average (.465) and RBI (27) as a result.
Jae-il Oh (1B) - Tallied four hits in five at-bats with two runs, a double and an RBI.
Jae-hwan Kim (OF) - Also hit his fifth home run going 2-for-5 with two RBI.
SK Wyverns
Jamie Romak (1B) - Perhaps a breakout with two hits in three at-bats, scored two runs, doubled, drove in three and walked twice.
Eui-yoon Jeong (OF) - Went 2-for-3 with a run, two RBI and walked.
Jeong Choi (3B) - Extended his hit streak to five games going 1-for-4 with a double driving in two runs and also walked.
Kia Tigers
Yong-ho Jo (OF) - Somehow flying below the radar, Jo notched another multiple hit game going 2-for-4 with three runs. He’s now second in the KBO in batting average (.429) and took over the league lead in OBP (.513).
Mel Rojas Jr. (OF) - Followed up his double dong Sunday with his seventh home run on Tuesday among his two hits in five at-bats. Rojas Jr. also doubled and drove in three runs. He also moved into the KBO lead in runs (22) on the season.
Jae-Gyun Hwang (3B) - Tallied two hits in five at-bats scoring two runs and doubled.
Lotte Giants
Ah-seop Son (OF) - On-base machine Son went 3-for-3 with a double and walked reaching base in all four plate appearances.
Dae-Ho Lee (1B) - Hit his second home run of 2020 going 1-for-3 with an RBI and walked.
Joon-tae Kim (DH) - Blasted his first home run of the year snapping the Giants 12-game homerless streak.
Samsung Lions
Sang-su Kim (2B) - Racked up three hits in four at-bats and scored a run.
Tyler Saladino (OF) - Moved his personal hit streak to six games going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. During his streak, Saladino’s 11-for-23 (.478) with three doubles, two home runs and 10 RBI. Pretty, pretty good and he’s produced multiple hits in four straight contests.
Wednesday’s slate features imports Warwick Saupold (Hanwha), Casey Kelly (LG) and Adrian Sampson (Lotte) on the mound. But, the games could be more high scoring once again with home runs on the rise along with pitchers ERA’s in the league. Be sure to stay with Fantasy Alarm to remain ahead of the competition.
Statistical Credits
myKBOstats.com
Eng.koreabaseball.com
Player News
Daulton Varsho picked up three hits, three RBI and a homer in a win over the Angels on Thursday.
Varsho has only played in seven games this year, but they’ve been seven good ones. He’s homered three times already, and his slugging percentage is a remarkable — and entirely unsustainable — .727 over 22 at-bats. Varsho has been a mediocre offensive player in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, but it’s possible at the age of 28 he’s having a breakout campaign. Far from a guarantee, but possible.
Taylor Ward hit a two-run homer in a loss to the Blue Jays on Thursday.
Ward, 31, gave the Angels a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer off Chris Bassitt in the first inning. He’s now gone deep in two of his last three games, and it ‘improves’ his slash to .181/.224/.391. Ward has been one of the most hot/cold players players in the sport over the last few years, so fantasy managers who can afford to make some roster moves may want to look at Ward while the going is good.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. picked up three hits and scored twice in an 8-5 win over the Angels on Thursday.
Guerrero also drew a walk. It gives the first baseman multiple hits in back-to-back games, and it’s the third time in May that he’s reached that mark. That’s helped raise his average from .268 to .295, and the only thing fantasy managers can be disappointed with is his .432 slugging percentage. That number should continue to climb as the season unfolds, but Vladdy Jr. has had some inconsistent seasons when it comes to power production.
Chad Green picked up his first save of 2025 with a scoreless ninth against the Angels on Thursday.
Green got the save after Jeff Hoffman worked in back-to-back games — and struggled — in the first two contests against the Angels. He struck out two and looked the part while needing just nine pitches to get through the inning. Hoffman should remain the closer, but Green is on his tail if the struggles were to continue.
Chris Bassitt allowed five runs — four earned — while working six-plus innings against the Angels on Thursday while picking up a win.
Bassitt allowed three runs over the first two innings on a pair of homers, but settled down over his next four frames. He came out to work the seventh, but ended up being charged for two more runs after leaving the contest. The 36-year-old veteran has forged a 3.35 ERA and outstanding 49/8 K/BB ratio over the first quarter of the season, but this wasn’t him at his best. He’ll get the Rays next week if the rotation order stays the same for Toronto.
José Soriano allowed three runs over five innings while not factoring in the decision Thursday against the Blue Jays.
Soriano left with a 4-3 lead, but it was erased quickly after his departure. The 26-year-old was not exactly dominant in his outing with eight hits allowed and four free passes, but he did strike out six to help balance things out a smidgen. Soriano takes an even ERA of 4.00 into a scheduled start against the Padres in San Diego on Tuesday. There should be better options for that one.