KBO Picks & Odds (September 18): Order is Restored

• NC is 10-2 versus SK this year, outscoring them by 28 runs in their last eight meetings
• Kiwoom’s Eric Jokisch is fresh off 7 shutout innings vs Doosan
• Find odds and best bets for the KBO’s five-game slate on September 18th in the article below

All is right in the KBO world after favorites swept the board on Thursday. Both NC and Kiwoom were among the winners, meaning the Dinos lead atop the standings remains at a single game.

NC will square off against SK once again on Friday at 5:30 am EST, looking to improve to 11-2 versus the Wyverns in 2020.

 KBO Odds: Friday, September 18th

Odds as of Sept. 17th.

Not surprisingly, the Dinos opened up as a significant -240 favorite, but what stands out is the total. The over/under currently sits at 10.5, which seems low given the quality of the starting pitching matchup.

A High Scoring Affair

Both NC’s Jae Hak Lee and SK’s Geon Wook Lee have been hit hard recently, and for Hak Lee it’s been a common occurrence this season. The 29-year-old was lit up by LG for 10 hits and 10 runs in just 2.1 innings last time out, marking the third time in five outings he’s surrendered at least five runs.

He’s made three starts versus the Wyverns this season, and has taken a loss in each of the last two. He’s allowed 10 runs in 10 innings in those losses, and has posted just one win since June 7th.

Jae Hak Lee vs Geon Wook Lee Stats

NC has outscored SK by 28 runs in their last eight meetings, and while the Dinos are a worthy favorite, expect both teams to put up plenty of runs.

Pick: Over 10.5 (-128)

Hanwha and Kiwoom Stay Under

Outside of one bad outing over the past six weeks, Eric Jokisch has been virtually unhittable. Now he gets to face last place Hanwha, who are averaging a league low 3.61 runs per game.

Great 3-pitch sequence here by Eric Jokisch after falling behind Kim Jae-hwan 2-0. His Called Strike% of 19.6% is the 2nd-best in the #KBO
1) FB outside for called strike
2) FB, same spot, same result
3) FB, goes down and further outside for called strike 3#KBOLeague pic.twitter.com/FtBnfRlIYl

— Ben Howell (Him/Kim) (@benhowell71) September 12, 2020

Jokisch leads the KBO in ERA and WHIP, and has allowed two runs or less in 70% of his starts this season. You could lay Kiwoom -1.5 but the juice is a little too high for my liking. The under on the other hand has some appeal.

Your friendly reminder that Eric Jokisch has the best ERA in the KBO by 46 points 😊 https://t.co/aCIAwyHGBu

— Kiwoom Heroes International (@kwheroesfan) September 14, 2020

These two teams combined for just seven runs on Thursday, and seven of Jokisch’s last 10 starts have stayed under the total. A big reason for that is the Heroes inconsistent offense that ranks middle of the pack in runs per game. They do have a favorable matchup versus Ee Whan Kim, but there’s no reason to think they’re going to explode for a huge output.

Kiwoom has averaged 4.14 runs per game over its past seven, and even if they exceed that by a few runs, Jokisch has a great chance to hold the Eagles to two runs or less.

Pick: Under 8.5 (-108)