KBO Picks & Odds (July 19): NC Dinos Set As Puzzling Underdogs vs KT Wiz Suwon

• The first-place NC Dinos are 6-1-1 against KT Wiz Suwon this year, yet they have slightly longer odds in Sunday’s matchup
• Lotte and Samsung appear to be headed for an all-American pitcher’s duel
• For all the odds and best bets on Korea Baseball Organization action for July 19, check out the article below

Is it just me, or does it seem a bit odd that the NC Dinos, who’ve led the KBO seemingly forever, have slightly longer odds in Sunday’s matchup against KT Wiz Suwon? It’s a team the Dinos have beaten six times in eight tries, by the way.

There must be something going on there, right? We’ll take a look at that matchup below. Also of note is a Lotte Giants vs. Samsung Lions game that has the makings of an all-American pitchers’ duel.

Here’s a look at the entire slate of KBO games for Sunday, July 19. All games start at 4am ET (1am PT).

KBO Odds: Tuesday, July 19th

Odds taken July 18.

The Underdog Dinos

In case you needed a reminder, here’s how good the NC Dinos have been this year: plus-102 run differential (next best is 39), a team OPS of .831 (next best is .815) and 88 home runs (next best is 74).

Oh, and they are 6-1-1 against KT Wiz Suwon, including Saturday’s 6-1 win. Their only loss to KT Wiz came in a weird 19-6 game that was the back end of a doubleheader on June 25.

https://youtu.be/g3L81c9bEgI

With that said, pick the NC Dinos and thank bettors for easing up on the odds a bit. Also ride the under, as six of these eight matchups have had single-digit run totals.

Pick: NC Dinos (-110), Under 10.5 (-110)

Straily vs. Buchanan

The Samsung Lions have gotten the better of the Lotte Giants in six of their eight meetings this year, but Sunday’s game deserves a closer look.

Lotte sends its ace, Dan Straily (3-2, 2.07 ERA), to the mound to match up with Samsung’s David Buchanan (8-3, 3.48 ERA). Both pitchers hail from the U.S. and have MLB experience — and they’ve been pretty darn good in South Korea, too.

⚾️+ ⚽️ = David Buchanan pic.twitter.com/0eRjMqwoAe

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 14, 2020

Oh, and they’re both red hot. Straily has won his past two starts, pitching 15-straight scoreless innings. Buchanan has won three in a row, allowing only two runs in the process.

It’s a tough call, but Samsung has had the upper hand. An easier decision is to take the under on run total, as low as it is.

Pick: Samsung Lions (-105), Under 8.5 (-120)

LG’s Utter Dominance

In all the combinations of KBO matchups, only one has seen perfection for one team over another in at least seven games. It’s the LG Twins vs. the Hanwha Eagles, with the Twins holding an 8-0 advantage this year.

https://youtu.be/DDRKCB-Xd1k

In that span, the Eagles — who are last in the KBO and have the worst offense — have surpassed five runs only once.

LG is the hefty moneyline favorite, which makes sense. It’s also worth mentioning that Twins starter Casey Kelly faced Hanwha once previously this season, tossing six scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts and only four hits allowed in a winning effort.

Pick: LG Twins (-200)