This article is part of our Dream11 Fantasy KBO series.
SK Wyverns (32-61-1) at NC Dinos (54-34-2)
Saturday, August 29th, 5:00 AM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Jong Hoon Park (7-7, 5.13 ERA) vs RHP Drew Rucinski (12-3, 3.22 ERA)
Game Preview
The Dinos and the Wyverns are in opposite runs of form if we look at how they've performed all season long, with the Dinos leading the KBO standings with a 54-32-2 record and a 0.5-game lead over the Kiwoom Heroes, while the Wyverns are in 9th place with just 32 wins and already thinking about what they'll do in 2021 to turn things around. The Dinos also have a clear edge in the pitching department, as they will send Drew Rucinski and his 12 wins to the mound, against Jong Hoon Park. Rucinski also has a 3.22 ERA, one of the best marks in the league among starting pitchers.
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
8/24 9:12 PM IST - Dinos manager Dong Wook Lee said that Koo (forearm) will
SK Wyverns (32-61-1) at NC Dinos (54-34-2)
Saturday, August 29th, 5:00 AM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Jong Hoon Park (7-7, 5.13 ERA) vs RHP Drew Rucinski (12-3, 3.22 ERA)
Game Preview
The Dinos and the Wyverns are in opposite runs of form if we look at how they've performed all season long, with the Dinos leading the KBO standings with a 54-32-2 record and a 0.5-game lead over the Kiwoom Heroes, while the Wyverns are in 9th place with just 32 wins and already thinking about what they'll do in 2021 to turn things around. The Dinos also have a clear edge in the pitching department, as they will send Drew Rucinski and his 12 wins to the mound, against Jong Hoon Park. Rucinski also has a 3.22 ERA, one of the best marks in the league among starting pitchers.
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
8/24 9:12 PM IST - Dinos manager Dong Wook Lee said that Koo (forearm) will begin a long-toss throwing program Tuesday, Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News Agency reports. Before being shut down in late July with a forearm injury, Koo had been one of the top starting pitchers in the KBO, posting a 1.55 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 99:17 K:BB across 87 frames. Though Koo looks to be taking a step forward by beginning a throwing program, Lee suggested the 23-year-old lefty will eventually need to make a rehab start or two in the Futures League before the Dinos are comfortable activating him.
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.
SK Wyverns
Joon Woo Choi - Out - Not Injury Related
8/24 9:30 PM IST - Choi was removed from the Wyverns' roster Monday, according to OSEN. Choi has been the Wyverns' primary second baseman for most of the season, but he ceded those duties to Hang Choi of late, so the club presumably sent him down in order to get regular at-bats.
Jae Hoon Ha - Out - Shoulder
8/10 4:56 PM IST - Ha will miss two months with an injury to his right shoulder, In Ha Kwon of The Chosun Ilbo reports. The reigning saves champion suffered another setback during a relief appearance for SK's Futures League team Friday. He now needs two more months to recover despite being on the verge of returning from an undisclosed injury. Ha's season is likely over, with a 7.62 ERA and just four saves this year.
Jin Gi Jeong - 10-Day IL - Undisclosed
6/16 3:31 PM IST - Jeong is not in Tuesday's lineup versus KT, MyKBOStats.com reports. The 27-year-old will be left out as the Wyverns rotate their outfield once more. Jeong hit .156 through the first two weeks of June.
Ji Kwang Kang - Out - Shoulder
6/15 2:22 PM IST - Kang, who has alternated between position player and relief pitcher the last few seasons, will resume pitching in Futures League games Wednesday, Tae Woo Kim of SPOTV reports. Kang converted from pitcher to hitter when he was drafted in 2009, per the Yonhap News Agency, but he never saw much action as a hitter and gave pitching another shot a couple years ago. The move appeared to be a good one, as he allowed just three earned runs in 16.1 innings (1.65 ERA) over his final 15 appearances last season. However, he was plagued by shoulder soreness that sidelined him after mid-June and entered this season as a hitter again. He is now feeling good enough to give pitching another shot, and if all goes well he could be a factor out of the Wyverns' bullpen at some point soon.
Chang Pyung Kim - 10-Day IL - Shoulder
7/8 10:43 PM IST - Kim (shoulder) is playing in Futures League games, according to Tae Woo Kim of SPOTV. Kim did not return in late June as expected, but considering he's at least seeing game action, it shouldn't be long until he is deemed ready to rejoin SK's top club.
Tyler White - Out - Finger
8/26 1:59 PM IST - White was diagnosed Tuesday with a fractured right index finger, Jeeho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency reports. He's expected to miss three weeks while recovering from the injury. The ex-MLB player suffered the untimely injury after he was struck in the hand by a pitch from Giants right-hander Adrian Sampson on Tuesday. After signing with the Wyverns and completing a quarantine period, White debuted for SK on Aug. 23 and played just two games before going down with the injury.
NC Dinos Expected Lineup
SP - Drew Rucinski
1. Min Woo Park
2. Myung Gi Lee
3. Sung Bum Na
4. Eui Ji Yang
6. Suk Min Park
7. Jin Hyuk No
SK Wyverns Expected Lineup
SP - Jong Hoon Park
1. Ji Hoon Choi
2. Jong Wook Ko
3. Jeong Choi
4. Dong Min Han
5. Jamie Romak
6. Tae In Chae
7. Hang Choi
8. Jae Won Lee
Top Picks From Each Team
Sung Bum Na, Dinos: Na is scorching hot at the moment, homering in four straight games and posting four straight multi-hit performances. One of the top local hitters in the KBO, Na has been excellent this month, posting a .382 average with nine homers and 27 RBI in 21 August games.
Jeong Choi, Wyverns: Choi has gone hitless in three of the Wyverns' last five games, but the star third baseman remains the team's biggest offensive threat by a wide margin. He is hitting just .257 this month, but that hasn't stopped him from putting up a .953 OPS with six homers and 23 RBI in August.
Captaincy Options
Dream11 Team
P – Drew Rucinski
C – Eui Ji Yang
IF – Jeong Choi (VC)
IF – Jin Hyuk No
IF – Sung Min Kim
IF – Tae In Chae
OF – Sung Bum Na (C)
OF – Myung Gi Lee
OF – Aaron Altherr
