KBO Picks & Odds (May 22): Trust the Tigers in a Low-Scoring Affair

• Kia Tigers have allowed just three runs in their last three games and now face last place SK Wyverns
• KT Wiz Suwon and LG clash in what should be a high-scoring affair
• Find odds and best bets for the KBO’s five-game slate on May 22nd in the article below

After a slow start to the season, the KIA Tigers have reeled off six wins in their last nine outings, and are fresh off a three-game sweep of the Lotte Giants.

Now they set their sights on bottom-feeders SK Wyverns as the Korean Baseball Organization opens up five new series on Friday, May 22, at 5:30 am EST.

KBO Odds: Friday, May 22

Odds taken May 21st

KIA Will Silence the SK Bats

KIA didn’t just beat Lotte this week, they completely shut them down. They held the Giants to just three runs in three games and will now send KBO vet Hyeong-Jong Yang to the hill to face the league’s weakest offense.

KBO's first triple play of 2020 turned by the KIA Tigers pic.twitter.com/I0xjlLqUeP

— Dan Kurtz (@MyKBO) May 20, 2020

The Wyverns have scored six fewer runs than any other team in the league, and Yang has been dominant in his last two outings. The 32-year-old has racked up back-to-back victories allowing just four runs in the process.

He’s fresh off limiting the potent Doosan Bears to just two runs over six innings and must be salivating over this juicy matchup. SK batters are hitting just .237 this year and have been held to two runs or fewer in 43% of their outings.

Pick: KIA Tigers moneyline (-180), Under 9.5 (-110)

A Slugfest Between Suwon and Twins

Our next matchup has a surprisingly low total considering it features two of the KBO’s top-four offenses. KT Wiz Suwon leads the league in runs, average, hits and extra-base hits, while LG ranks fourth in each of those first two categories.

Mel Rojas Jr. goes big fly and the kt Wiz are on the board. Sweet, sweet swing. pic.twitter.com/Jo5IpZGc21

— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) May 8, 2020

13 of KT Wiz’s 14 games have produced a total of at least nine runs, and they’ll send Min Kim to the mound, who has an ERA of 9.00 this season. Before you start screaming about a small sample size, Kim has a history of giving up runs. In three KBO seasons, he’s never had an ERA below 4.96 and was lit up for seven runs in just four innings 12 days ago.

LG meanwhile has seen eight of its first 14 games go over the total and will trot out former MLB’er Casey Kelly. The 30-year-old pitched well in his last start but gave up six runs in just two innings in his debut against the NC Dinos.

Pick: Over 9.0 (-120)

Keep Rolling with the Dinos

It’s not often you can back the league’s best team at home for just -140 on the moneyline. But that’s exactly the case Friday when the 12-2 Dinos host the 6-9 Hanwha Eagles. The Dinos are fresh off taking two of three from the Bears on the road and will count on Young Gyu Kim to shut down the light hitting Eagles.

Kim is fresh off a six-inning no-decision versus the Wyverns in which he allowed just a single run. Hanwha meanwhile, is averaging only 3.93 runs per game and has dropped three of its last four.

The Dinos lead the KBO in run differential (+37) and ERA (3.38) and have held their opponents to two runs or less in six of their 14 contests.

Pick: NC Dinos moneyline (-140)