KBO Predictions and Analysis – Thursday, September 2 (2021)

It’s been a hectic week in South Korean baseball thanks to the temperamental weather, and it seems like a couple of games from the next round are under threat too.

The good news is that the other three should proceed as usual, and even the two doubtful fixtures might go through after all.

That gives me enough of a reason to include them in my KBO predictions for September 2. Here’s a full list of the games I cover.

This is one of the games that might get canceled because of rain, and I’m sure that the Lions are hoping that’s not the case.

The team news shows us that the Lions are expected to send Won Tae-in, who’s been amazing this season. The pitcher has eleven victories already, and he can certainly stop the opposition.

On paper, the Tigers are going to use a decent pitcher too, but Lee Eui-lee was demolished twice by Thursday’s opponents already in 2021. If this clash goes through, I expect another win for the Lions.

Both sides are fighting for the top 5 but currently are out of the playoff sports. The SSG Landers had a tough day on Wednesday, exchanging wins against the NC Dinos.

The Bears lost against the Kia Tigers, in the meantime, which was a huge misstep on the road to the postseason. On the bright side, they have the upper hand for the upcoming clash.

Their best pitcher Choi Won-joon is next in the rotation, while the Landers are expected to use Sam Gaviglio, who has been nothing short of abysmal since arriving in South Korean baseball.

It’s hard to trust the Bears too much nowadays, but they have a huge advantage when it comes to the starting pitchers. That’s enough for me to back Doosan in my KBO predictions for September 2.

The NC Dinos continue to be one of the most inconsistent teams in South Korea this season, and their performances on Wednesday showed that clearly.

The reigning champions comprehensively beat the SSG Landers in the early matchup, only to get demolished in the second clash of the day.

On paper, they have the better starting pitcher for the next round. Shin Min-hyeok has a 6-3 record, while LG’s Lee Min-ho has won five and lost six games in the league.

It might be close, but I expect another defeat for the Dinos.

You never know what to expect from the Kiwoom Heroes, and KT Wiz Suwon has been shaky this week too. If you add the fact that both sides are sending excellent pitchers right from the start, this might be the toughest game to predict on Thursday.

Even the head-to-head record is almost even, with the Heroes leading by 6-5 over the course of this campaign.

It’s hard to separate the two teams, but I prefer KT Wiz Suwon. The league leaders have been better overall, and their offense can always explode and punish the opposition.

This is the second game that might fall through because of bad weather, but I don’t think that any of the teams would mind too much.

The Hanwha Eagles have certainly impressed recently after wins against some of the strongest opponents in the league. They have plenty of momentum, and it’s Ryan Carpenter’s turn to pitch. The American has been solid and should give his team the upper hand.

As for the Giants, they will have to rely on a player with abysmal stats. That’s enough for me to back the Eagles in my KBO predictions for September 2.