BASEBALL PREVIEW: KT Wiz at Hanwha Eagles

DAEJEON, South Korea (Interstat) — The Hanwha Eagles host the KT Wiz on Wednesday evening at Daejeon Hanbat Baseball Stadium, with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m. local time under a forecast of 76 degrees and rain.

Hanwha (37-37-2) enters the game in the middle of a tightly packed KBO standings, while KT (43-32-1) sits comfortably atop the league. The Eagles, however, hold a 3-2 edge in the season series against the Wiz. The teams last met May 15-17 in Suwon, where Hanwha took two of three, including a 10-5 victory and a 5-3 win before KT salvaged the finale with an 8-7 triumph.

KT is coming off a three-game sweep at the hands of the Samsung Lions over the weekend, including a 7-4 loss Sunday. The Wiz have lost six of their last 10 games and now face a challenging stretch that begins with this series.

Players to watch

KT designated hitter Choi Won-jun has been the team’s most consistent bat, hitting .325 over his last 10 games with two home runs and eight RBI. He went 1-for-4 with a solo homer and two RBI in Sunday’s loss to Samsung and has recorded a hit in nine of his last 10 contests.

Hanwha counters with left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin, who has been dominant in recent outings. In his last start Sunday against the Shinsegae Landers, Ryu allowed one earned run on six hits with seven strikeouts over six innings in a 6-3 win. Over his last four starts, the veteran has posted a 1.25 ERA while averaging six innings per appearance.

By the numbers

The Interstat game simulator projects a 4-3 Hanwha victory, and the ELO system gives the Eagles a 52.60 percent probability of winning.

KT’s offense ranks among the league leaders in runs scored, but the pitching staff has struggled lately, allowing 20 runs over the weekend series in Daegu. Hanwha’s pitching, led by Ryu, has been more reliable, posting a 2.83 team ERA over its last seven games.

The Eagles have won five of their last six games overall, including a sweep of the Landers over the weekend. Hanwha’s next 10 games include two more against KT before a road trip to face the LG Twins.

KT, meanwhile, will play the second game of this series Thursday before returning home for a weekend set against the Lotte Giants.

Rain is expected throughout the evening, which could affect pitching strategies and potentially delay the start of the game.