<
        >

          KBO Weekly: Power Rankings, surprising stars and dazzling mound work

          • ESPN.com
          Jun 1, 2020, 11:00 AM

          The NC Dinos showed the slightest hint of slowing down from their record start, with the LG Twins and Doosan Bears lurking behind, waiting for a more significant tumble.

          Here's a look at the week that was and what's ahead in the KBO.

          ESPN's KBO Power Rankings

          1. NC Dinos: 18-5 (Last week: 1) -- At 17-3, the Dinos had the best record in KBO history through 20 games. After losing two straight to Samsung, they erupted for an 18-7 blowout win.

          2. LG Twins: 16-7 (3) -- LG gained ground on the Dinos with a 5-1 week. The Twins' 38-year-old backup catcher, Sung-woo Lee, hit a grand slam on Wednesday and a three-run homer on Saturday. He entered the week with four career home runs over 12 seasons.

          3. Doosan Bears: 14-9 (2) -- Doosan's Jose Miguel Hernandez went 2-for-5 on Sunday for his league-high 15th multihit game -- and his average dropped to .468.

          4. Kiwoom Heroes: 12-12 (4) -- Kiwoom's Hye-sung Kim hit for the cycle in a 14-3 win over the Wiz after entering the game with no extra-base hits in 55 at-bats this season.

          5. Kia Tigers: 12-12 (5) -- Like the Heroes, Kia went 2-4 last week, losing ground to the lead pack.

          6. Lotte Giants: 11-12 (6) -- Lotte, also 2-4 last week, has gone 12 games without a home run, the longest drought in the KBO since at least the start of the 2017 season.

          7. KT Wiz: 10-13 (7) -- The Wiz are the top-hitting team in the league at .306 and have a plus-9 run differential, but they are three games under .500. A big part of the problem is their 5.58 team ERA.

          8. Samsung Lions: 10-14 (9) -- After having five wins in their first 17 games, the Lions reeled off five wins in six games before being drubbed by the Dinos on Sunday.

          9. Hanwha Eagles: 7-17 (8) -- It was a rough week for the Eagles, losers of eight straight, including the past three to the lowly Wyverns.

          10. SK Wyverns: 7-16 (10) -- Have the Wyverns turned the corner? After enduring a dreadful 2-14 start, SK has won four in a row.

          (Selected by Joon Lee, Alden Gonzalez and Dan Mullen)

          The week that was and what's ahead

          One thing to know that happened last week: NC Dinos starter Chang-mo Koo capped a month that was about as dominant as a starting pitcher can have on Sunday with six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk. He finished May with a 4-0 record, leading the KBO with a 0.51 ERA and a 0.60 WHIP in five starts. For comparison, only two MLB pitchers over the past 100 seasons have posted an ERA and WHIP 0.60 or better in a calendar month in which they made at least five starts -- the Cubs' Jake Arrieta in September 2015 and the Angels' Mike Witt in August 1986. Opponents facing Koo are hitting just .105 (12-for-114 over 35 innings pitched). Only four pitchers in MLB over the past 90 seasons have posted a lower opponent batting average in a calendar month (minimum of 30 IP in the month), the most recent being Johan Santana (.095 in July 2004).

          One thing to watch this week: While LG and Doosan might have seen a slight opening in their race to catch the Dinos, NC has what seems to be a favorable schedule this week, facing the Wyverns and Eagles. Unless, of course, SK's four-game winning streak is a sign of things to come.

          Highlight of the week: The early leader for KBO play of the year.

          Bat flip of the week:

          Viral moment of the week: With such a great view of all the KBO's bat flips, the umpires apparently want to be part of the fun too.

          Most impressive stat of the week: Samsung left-hander Yoon-dong Heo did something only two MLB pitchers have done since 1900. At 18, he made his KBO debut with a scoreless start, blanking Lotte for five innings. Per Elias, Sam McDowell and Lew Krausse (both in 1961) are the only two pitchers in MLB's modern era to debut with a scoreless start at age 18 or younger.

          KBO on ESPN broadcast schedule

          Stream live KBO games and replays on WatchESPN

          (All times ET; in addition to the game replays listed, all KBO League games on ESPN2 will also re-air leading directly into the next live game telecast.)

          Tuesday, June 2

          5:30 a.m.: ESPN -- Lotte Giants vs. Kia Tigers (live)
          2 p.m.: ESPN2 -- Lotte Giants vs. Kia Tigers (rebroadcast)

          Wednesday, June 3

          5:30 a.m.: ESPN -- Kiwoom Heroes vs. Hanwha Eagles (live)
          2 p.m.: ESPN2 -- Kiwoom Heroes vs. Hanwha Eagles (rebroadcast)

          Thursday, June 4

          5:30 a.m.: ESPN -- Lotte Giants vs. Kia Tigers (live)
          2 p.m.: ESPN2 -- Lotte Giants vs. Kia Tigers (rebroadcast)

          Friday, June 5

          5:30 a.m.: ESPN -- NC Dinos vs. Hanwha Eagles (live)
          2 p.m.: ESPN2 -- NC Dinos vs. Hanwha Eagles (rebroadcast)

          Saturday, June 6

          4 a.m.: ESPN -- LG Twins vs. Kiwoom Heroes (live)

          Sunday, June 7

          1 a.m.: ESPN -- LG Twins vs. Kiwoom Heroes (live)