KBO Predictions and Analysis – Saturday, August 28 (2021)

The weekend will bring us another two rounds of elite South Korean baseball. Saturday’s forecasts are great, and the weather shouldn’t be an issue this time around.

The starting pitchers have been announced, so it’s time for my KBO predictions for August 28. I share my thoughts and key stats on all five games on the schedule.

The SSG Landers will be glad that their series against KT Wiz Suwon is over. The team is still in the hunt for the playoffs and desperately needs some wins that could come against a weaker opponent like the Kia Tigers.

Wilmer Font is next in SSG’s rotation, and the pitcher already has three victories against the Tigers in the same number of starts. The guy knows how to beat this opponent, and he should receive enough support from the offense.

Im Gi-yeong will be expected to stop the Landers, and he failed miserably last time around, allowing seven runs in less than two innings. He’s not been very good as a whole in 2021, so I expect another defeat.

Most people expect a win for the NC Dinos here, and the reigning champions certainly can’t afford to lose many games against opponents like Hanwha.

And yet, the Eagles already gave the Kiwoom heroes a lot of trouble this week, and they have been decent in the past ten days.

On top of that, it’s time for Nick Kingham in the rotation. He is Hanwha’s best pitcher, and he already had a stellar game against the Dinos earlier this year.

The offense should be able to find some runs, too, because Song Myung-gi will start for the Dinos. He’s been far from convincing in 2021, and that’s why I believe that the Eagles can win on Saturday.

I usually factor in a lot of stuff in my KBO predictions, but this one is almost purely based on the starting pitchers for the clash between the Giants and the Bears.

Lee Young-ha is on the other end of the spectrum. Doosan’s starter has a 10.95 ERA, and he lost against the Giants already.

On top of everything else, Lotte has seven wins against the Bears this season. I see too many reasons to back the Giants, and that’s exactly what I recommend.

If there were any doubts that KT Wiz Suwon is the main favorite for the top spot in the KBO regular season, I think they are gone after the performances we saw this week.

The team is flying right now, and the offense looks unstoppable. That’s not a good sign for Choi Chae-heung, who’s expected to start for the Lions.

Samsung’s pitcher has a 2-6 record on bad stats, and he was demolished once by the same opponent earlier in the campaign.

On top of that, Odrisamer Despaigne is next in the rotation for KT Wiz Suwon. He’s been a rock this season, and Samsung’s only hope comes from the fact that two of his worst games so far came against the Lions.

And yet, it’s really hard to predict anything else but a win for the favorite based on the current form of both sides.

The Kiwoom Heroes had another tough game that should’ve been an easy victory in the previous round, and they barely beat the Hanwha Eagles. They face a much stronger opposition next, and I feel obliged to back the LG Twins.

I would normally prefer the Heroes with Eric Jokisch as a starter, but the American is 0-2 against the Twins this season, and his team has been abysmal this week.

I believe that Casey Kelly and LG’s bullpen can contain Kiwoom’s offense and win the game for the Twins.