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KBO Tuesday betting preview: Straily to silence Samsung

Kelley L Cox / USA TODAY Sports

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Following Monday's hiatus, the KBO League resumes Tuesday with a typical full slate, and the televised game features a couple of exciting arms.

ESPN game: Samsung Lions (+115) at Lotte Giants (-135)

North American viewers will see a familiar face on the mound Tuesday morning as Dan Straily will get the start for the Giants to begin a three-game set with the Lions - a series both teams desperately need after combining to go 6-14 over the past week-and-a-half.

After a positive beginning to life in the KBO, Straily was roughed up in his last two starts, allowing seven runs, 13 hits, and seven strikeouts over his last 9 1/3 innings. Both of those starts came on the road, though, and he returns home here where he had by far his best outing of the season, pitching seven shutout innings and allowing just three hits with 11 strikeouts to no walks. This is a get-right spot for Straily against a Lions lineup that's bottom three in the league in AVG, OBP, and SLG.

Samsung counters with Choi Chae-heung, who's impressed through three starts, posting a 3-0 record with a 2.65 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. However, his worst start came in his lone road outing, where he allowed four runs on six hits and two walks across six innings, and his 4.28 FIP suggests he hasn't been quite as good as he appears on the surface.

Choi was solid last season - his .343 BABIP against suggests he was a bit unlucky, too - but he was miserable in three outings against the Giants, allowing 14 runs (13 earned) on 20 hits across 12 1/3 innings. I'd expect a bit better from him here as he maintains his early-season momentum, but it won't be enough for the Lions to avoid defeat in the series opener.

Pick: Giants (-130), under 9 (-110)

Other picks:

  • KT Wiz (-130)
  • Twins/Eagles under 9 (-120)

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

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