Straily Looks to Continue His Sensational Season

Former MLB journeyman Dan Straily is enjoying a fantastic first season in the KBO. Photo by @mlbtraderumors (Twitter).

• Lotte’s Dan Straily has allowed just 2 earned runs in his last four starts
• NC’s Chang Mo Koo leads the KBO with a 0.75 ERA and 0.69 WHIP
• Find odds and best bets for the KBO’s five-game slate on June 18th in the article below

Aces are wild Thursday as the KBO wraps-up five series starting at 5:30 am EST. Arguably two of the league’s top-three starters from a statistical standpoint, Dan Straily and Chang Mo Koo, will take the ball for their respective teams, with Straily looking to find the win column for the first time since May 10th.

 KBO Odds: Thursday, June 18th

Odds as of June 17th.

Straily’s Stuff is Electic

Let’s be clear, Straily’s lack of wins this season has nothing to do with his individual performance. The 31-year-old has allowed just 2 earned runs total in his last four starts (all no decisions), and has held the opposition to two runs or less in seven of his eight outings.

Dan Straily has now given up just 2 ER over his last 25.2 IP. That's a 0.70 ERA with a 0.94 WHIP.

His final line from today:

7.1 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 7 K. pic.twitter.com/eJQEyX9Lmf

— Alex Fast (@AlexFast8) June 12, 2020

He ranks second in strikeouts, third in ERA and WHIP and is in the conversation as the best foreign-born pitcher in his first season in the KBO. The problem is he doesn’t get any run support. The Giants average just 2.38 runs in Staily’s starts this season, but that could change on Thursday.

Lotte has picked it offensively over the past two weeks, averaging 5.8 runs per contest and have a favorable matchup versus Kiwoom’s Seung Ho Lee. The lefty has allowed 15 runs over his last four starts and has more walks than strikeouts over that span.

Pick: Lotte Giants moneyline (-115)

Can’t Quit Koo

The only reason Straily isn’t ranked higher in the individual statistical categories is because every starter in the league is staring up at Chang Mo Koo. The Dinos ace was brilliant yet again in his last outing, allowing just a single earned run in a no decision versus Kiwoom.

See y’all bright and early for Koo Chang-mo AND Dan Straily. pic.twitter.com/oOdRes5qrI

— Alex Fast (@AlexFast8) June 12, 2020

The reigning KBO player of the month leads the league in every major pitching category, except wins, and has surrendered just four earned runs total in seven starts this season.

Koo Chang-mo, KBO Player of the Month.

[4-0 with a 0.51 ERA and 38 strikeouts] pic.twitter.com/Lu86bmUKfT

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 8, 2020

Like Straily, Koo received zero run support in his last outing but that shouldn’t be the case on Thursday. The NC bats will face Drew Gagnon who’s been hot and cold in 2020. He’s held opponents scoreless in two of seven starts, but in the other five outings he’s given up a total of 19 runs.

Despite dropping the first two games of the series, the Dinos have still put up 10 runs. Another four or five on Thursday will surely get the job done with Koo on the bump.

Pick: NC Dinos -1.5 (-110)

Over in Play for KT Wiz and SK

Each of the first two games of the KT Wiz/SK series has gone over the total, but each time it was because the Wyverns blew a 9th inning lead.

Thursday’s matchup however, profiles as the highest scoring game of the series, as a pair of struggling starters will get the nod. The Suwon will send Odrisamer Despaigne to the mound, fresh off another disappointing outing. He allowed four runs versus Samsung, and has given up 18 runs in his last three outings.

The Wyverns will counter with Jong Hoon Park, who surrendered four runs last time out for the second time in three starts. Each of his last four outings has produced a total of at least nine, with three of the four reaching double-digits.

Pick: Over 9.0 (-120)

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