KBO Picks & Odds (Sep. 3): It’s Time to Ride the Lions

• The Samsung Lions are 3-10 in their last 13 but have a favorable pitching matchup against Doosan tomorrow
• Former Detroit Tiger Chad Bell has been hot of late, and makes the last-place Hanwha Eagles a worthwhile bet
• Read on for odds and best bets on all five games in the KBO on September 3rd, 2020

Rainouts were the order of the day on Wednesday with just one game being completed in the Korean Baseball Organization. As a result, many of the same pitching matchups are on tap for tomorrow (Thursday, Sep. 3rd).

Here’s a look at all of the KBO odds for Thursday, September 3rd.

KBO Odds: Thursday, September 3rd

Odds taken September 2.

Ride the Lions

At first glance, Samsung and Doosan are teams at opposite ends of the KBO spectrum. Doosan sits in fourth in the KBO standings at 53-41-3, just five games back of the first-place NC Dinos.

Then there’s the Samsung Lions, losers of 10 of their last 13, firmly positioned in eighth place with a 43-52-1 record.

⚾September 2nd⚾ Game scores for today!
▶ Check out the latest KBO standings 👀#KBO #KBOLeague #scores #standings pic.twitter.com/v4E75CjpCu

— KBO (@KBOleague) September 2, 2020

But head to head, there’s very little between them. In 12 meetings this year, Doosan has a slight 6-5-1 edge.

Tomorrow’s pitching matchup tilts this game in the Lions’ favor. Samsung starter Won Tae-In is 6-5 on the year with a 4.08 ERA, and is 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA in two starts against Doosan. The 20-year-old right-hander will be hoping to replicate his first outing against the Bears on Aug. 4, when he gave up just two earned runs in 5.1 innings, as opposed to the second, a week later, when he surrendered four earned runs over four innings.

Won Tae-in, 84mph de-helmet-ing Slider. 😨 pic.twitter.com/sNEZ89Nm0a

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 26, 2020

For the Bears, Lee Seung-jin puts his 0-2, 6.63 ERA record on the line on Thursday. He’s only faced the Lions once this year – starting opposite Won on Aug. 4 – and it did not go well, as the 25-year-old right-hander gave up four earned runs in just three innings.

Pick: Lions (-106)

Eagles Set to Take Flight

As the team that is rock bottom of the KBO standings with a 26-68-11 record – a full 32 games out of first – it’s no surprise that the Hanwha Eagles are the +126 underdog in Thursday’s matchup with second-placed Kiwoom.

But the favorable pitching matchup makes it well worth jumping on.

Chad Bell may not look on top of his game with a 2-7 record and a 5.74 ERA, but the former Detroit Tiger has rounded into form the last few games, giving up just one earned run in his last 19 innings, putting up a 2-0 record in those three starts. Kiwoom is 8-1 against Hanwha this year, but has yet to face Bell.

Rookie CF Byeon puts Kiwoom on the board with a laser RBI double, the game’s first and only hit thus far. Byeon has 4 doubles in 28 plate appearances – good for a two-bagger every seven times to the plate. 1-0 in the 3rd. https://t.co/sSQC0x5LxZ

— Kiwoom Heroes International (@kwheroesfan) September 2, 2020

Kiwoom is sending Yoon Jung-hyun to the mound to make just his second start of the season. The left-hander has appeared in nine games so far, but has struggled with a 9.82 ERA and a WHIP of 2.52.

In his only start of the season, against the Lotte Giants on Aug. 28, the 27-year-old surrendered 10 hits and four earned runs in just 4.2 innings.

Pick: Eagles (+126)