The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) rolls into the weekend with one series that could not be more lopsided. Starting Friday June 5, 2020, the NC Dinos (20-6) will visit the Hanwha Eagles (7-20) in a game that will air live on ESPN at 5:30 a.m. EST. The Dinos are the best team in the league, by three games, while Hanwha sit in last place having lost 11 straight games.
This past week the NC Dinos hosted the SK Wyverns and ended the series with two straight wins. NC lost the opening game of the series 8-2, but bounced back to win game two 8-6, and game three 10-0.
Hanwha, who has not won a game since May 22nd, hosted the Kiwoom Heroes in a series that looked like it was men against boys. Kiwoom won game one 15-3, game two 6-2, and game three 7-3. It was utter domination by Kiwoom and just another tough series for the Hanwha Eagles.
Below is my pick for the NC Dinos vs Hanwha Eagles. All odds are from Draftkings Sportsbook.
NC Dinos (-270) vs Hanwha Eagles (+210): O/U 9.5 (-134/+104)
Pitching Match-Up: Mike Wright (3-1, 3.21 ERA) vs Jang Shi-hwan (1-3, 6.93 ERA)
Mike Wright is enjoying a fine start to his debut KBO season as the righty has given up more than three earned runs in just one of his first five starts. Wright is averaging 5.6 innings pitched, 2.0 earned runs, and 4.4 hits per game this season. The righty has already faced Hanwha this season and took the win after giving up four earned runs in six innings pitched.
Jang Shi-hwan is having a tough start to his 13th KBO season and is enduring a brutal three game stretch that has seen him give up more than four earned runs in two of those three starts. The righty is averaging 4.9 innings pitched, 3.8 earned runs, and 6.8 hits per start this season. Shi-hwan pitched to a no-decision, giving up four earned runs in five innings pitched, when he faced off against NC back on 5/24.
Prediction: I can’t back Hanwha at this point, especially in any game this series, so give me the NC Dinos on Friday.
KBO Picks Record: 15-8
