Expert Korean Baseball Picks, July 9

Kia Tigers vs. Hanwha Eagles: Over 9 (-112)

In what I anticipate to be a high-scoring contest, the KIA Tigers and Hanwha Eagles square off at Hanwha Life Eagles Park. With Yang Hyeon-jong and Um Sang-back scheduled to see the mound, the runs should flow in this matchup.

Yang makes his 18th start of the season with a 4.92 ERA and 1.48 WHIP. As one of the most reliable pitchers in the KBO for more than a decade, the 37-year-old Yang is showing some wear and tear this season. Entering the league in 2007, Yang has made 530 appearances in the KBO!

While Yang is still capable of delivering, he appears to have more of a tired arm recently. In two starts against the Eagles, Yang has posted a 5.40 ERA this season. The Eagles are likely to get to Yang’s arm in this one.

Hanwha’s Chae Eun-seong cleared the bases with this double in the 3rd to help the Eagles get the lead as they roll on to the 14-8 win over KIA https://t.co/gTEuTOuZCT

— Dan Kurtz (@MyKBO) July 8, 2025

Likewise, I share the same pessimism for the Eagles’ starter, Um. The 28-year-old heads into Tuesday with a rocky 6.23 ERA and 1.70 WHIP through 14 games. Since posting a 4.88 ERA last season, Um hasn’t been able to find his form again.

Over his last three starts, Um yielded 12 earned runs in 12.1 innings of work. Um’s control was well off, as he notched a 1.91, 2.00, and 2.18 WHIP in those three showings. In other words, runs should be easy to come by, so consider the Over 9 runs for your best KBO picks Wednesday!