KBO Picks & Odds (July 15): KT Wiz is on the Rise
- KT Wiz is 8-2 in its last 10 and have averaged 6.7 runs per game during that stretch
- Doosan’s Raul Alcantara seeks his league-leading 9th win of the season
- Find odds and best bets for the KBO’s five-game slate on July 15th in the article below
After a dreadful 1-7 start to the season, KT Wiz is finally above .500 following a 7-2 blow out win over Hanwha on Tuesday. The Suwon will look to make it nine wins in their last 11 on Wednesday, when they host the Eagles at 5:30 am EST.
KBO Odds: Wednesday, July 15th
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KIA Tigers | -130 | -1.5 (+130) | Over 9.0 (-130) | 5:30 a.m. |
| Samsung Lions | +100 | +1.5 (-160) | Under 9.0 (+100) | |
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| SK Wyverns | +215 | +1.5 (+120) | Over 9.0 (-115) | 5:30 a.m. |
| Doosan Bears | -275 | -1.5 (-150) | Under 9.0 (-115) | |
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| LG Twins | -115 | +1.5 (-200) | Over 9.5 (-105) | 5:30 a.m. |
| Lotte Giants | -115 | -1.5 (+160) | Under 9.5 (-125) | |
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Hanwha Eagles | +185 | +1.5 (+100) | Over 10.5 (-125) | 5:30 a.m. |
| KT Wiz Suwon | -225 | -1.5 (-130) | Under 10.5 (-105) | |
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| NC Dinos | +175 | +1.5 (-115) | Over 9.5 (-115) | 5:30 a.m. |
| Kiwoom Heroes | -215 | -1.5 (-115) | Under 9.5 (-115) |
Odds as of July 14th.
KT is Clicking Recently
KT Wiz is 5-2 against Hanwha in 2020, with all five victories coming by at least two runs. They’re the hottest team in the league over the past 10 games, averaging a league-best 11.6 hits and 6.7 runs per game. They’ve crossed the plate 25 times in their last three outings, and Wednesday’s matchup is once again favorable.
another Wiz win today, another Mel Rojas Jr. home run — his league-leading 20th of the season! #KBO pic.twitter.com/Jh1l9Dasjt
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) July 10, 2020
KT Wiz will face Hanwha lefty Bum Soo Kim, who’s fresh off getting roughed up by Lotte. The Suwon feature a predominantly right-handed lineup and have crushed southpaws all season. They lit up a pair of Samsung lefties on the weekend, and average 1.12 more runs at home than they do on the road.
Pick: KT Wiz Suwon -1.5 (-130)
Raul’s Been the Real Deal
Raul Alcantara had a mediocre rookie season in the KBO in 2019, but he’s been excellent in 2020. The 27-year-old is tied for the league lead in wins (8) and has been excellent in his last four starts.
Raul Alcantara Last Four Starts
| Opponent | IP | HA | ER | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LG | 7.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| HAN | 7.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| NCD | 7.1 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| LG | 8.0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
He’s fresh off back-to-back dominant performances, giving up just five hits and one earned run in 14 innings. He’s racked up 17 strikeouts in those two outings and has lowered his WHIP to 1.10, which ranks fourth in the KBO.
Today's #KBO K leader was Raul Alcántara of the Doosan Bears:
7 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 8 K, 0 BB
Check out his 3 Ks to Roberto Ramos. pic.twitter.com/W04xAUbFbO
— Alex Fast (@AlexFast8) July 9, 2020
Wednesday’s opponent is light-hitting SK, who are tied for the worst batting average in the league (.242) and have scored the second-fewest runs (231). Alcantara should have no trouble shutting them down, and is also likely to receive plenty of run support. Doosan scored seven times on Tuesday and have crossed the plate 43 times in their last seven games.
Pick: Doosan Bears -1.5 (-150)
Jokisch Faces His Toughest Test of 2020
The best offense in the league takes on one of the KBO’s top pitchers on Wednesday. First-place NC will try to become one of the few teams to solve Eric Jokisch in 2020, as he puts his 8-2 record on the line.
Eric Jokisch, Nasty 80mph Breaking Ball…and Sword. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/NGANc5zXVj
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 29, 2020
Jokisch has allowed just 12 earned runs in 12 starts all season, and has held his opponents scoreless in five of those outings. He leads the KBO in ERA, ranks second in WHIP and is tied for the most wins. If there’s one red flag, it’s that Jokisch has yet to face either of the league’s top-two offenses (NC and Doosan) but that’s about to change.
The Dinos are coming off of a loss, and so far this season, they’ve bounced back very well. They’ve been beaten twice in a row just three times, and in games following an outing where they’ve scored fewer than four runs, they’re 7-1 and have averaged 8.2 runs.
You could go ahead and grab plus money taking NC to win outright, but I have too much respect for Jokisch to do that. Instead, let’s grab the +1.5 runs and bank on the Dinos keeping this game close.
Pick: NC Dinos +1.5 (-115)
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
