KBO Picks & Odds (August 8): Roll With Raul Alcantara and the Bears

• Doosan’s Raul Alcantara is 10-1, with a 2.79 ERA and 1.08 WHIP
• Kiwoom’s Eric Jokisch shutout LG over 6 innings the last time he faced them
• Find odds and best bets for the KBO’s five-game slate on August 8th in the article below

The weekend is here and what better way to start your Saturday morning than with some early KBO sweats. The action gets underway at 5:00 am EST, and this slate features two of the league’s top pitchers.

 KBO Odds: Saturday, August 8th

Odds as of Aug. 7th.

Doosan’s Raul Alcantara will look to join NC’s Drew Rucinski as the KBO’s only two 11-game winners, when he squares off against the surging Lotte Giants.

Raul is Red-Hot

Alcantara has failed to pick up a victory in each of his last two outings, but he’s hardly to blame for that. Against Kiwoom and NC, the league’s top-two teams, he surrendered just three earned runs in 13 innings. He allowed only seven baserunners in each outing, and struck out a combined nine batters.

Raúl Alcántara, Unfair 97mph front hip Two Seamer. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WUZCAESeqT

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 3, 2020

He hasn’t given up more than two runs in any of his last six starts, and he hasn’t suffered a loss since Opening Day in early May. He’s faced Lotte once this season, and he limited them to two runs over 6 innings in a 4-2 victory.

Yes, the Giants have been hot recently, but it’s come at the expense of some very weak pitchers. They won’t have that luxury on Saturday, and the likely lack of offense is bound to hurt them. That’s because they’re trotting out Kyung Eun Noh and his 5.12 ERA against the high powered Bears. The last time he faced an elite offense he lasted just 4.2 innings against NC, and he gave up four runs in 6 innings in his only meeting versus Doosan this season.

Pick: Doosan Bears -1.5 (-150)

Jokisch Rounding Back Into Form

After stumbling a few weeks ago against the Bears, Eric Jokisch seems to have rediscovered his form. The lefty is fresh off back-to-back quality starts against Doosan and Samsung, and will look to ride that momentum versus LG.

Eric Jokisch was taking no prisoners with his knuckle curve today. Here he is sending Koo Ja-wook to his knees on a whiff just before getting a lazy fly ball on his next pitch, another curve, to end the fifth for Kiwoom: pic.twitter.com/JU3E0lEPpm

— Ben Howell (Him/Kim) (@benhowell71) August 2, 2020

Jokisch has already stymied LG once this season, and his offense’s favorable matchup should generate plenty of run support.

Kiwoom will face Yun Sik Kim, who’s fresh off giving up five runs in just 4.1 innings to bottom-feeder Hanwha. The lefty has a 7.53 ERA this season, and allowed five runs and nine hits in an 8-3 loss to the Heroes on June 23rd.

Pick: Kiwoom Heroes -1.5 (-145)

KT Wiz Lights Up Bell

Speaking of Hanwha, its game versus KT Wiz was rained out Friday, meaning the Suwon will now take a crack at the Eagles’ Chad Bell on Saturday. The 31-year-old is winless in nine starts this season and the last time he faced KT Wiz, it did not end well for him.

https://youtu.be/rTLx7yjsahc

He allowed five runs in five innings, marking the fourth time this season he’s allowed the opposing team to cross the plate at least that many times.

KT Wiz will counter with Hyeong Jun So, who’s elevated his game dramatically over the last few weeks. He’s fresh off 6.2 innings of shutout ball against SK, and allowed just two runs in each of his two previous starts versus NC and Samsung. A date with the light-hitting Hanwha offense is just what he needs to keep his hot streak going.

Pick: KT Wiz Suwon -1.5 (-145)