Samsung Lions vs Lotte Giants Prediction, 5/17/2025 KBO Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Samsung Lions vs Lotte Giants

Date: Saturday, May 17, 2025

Location: Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan, South Korea

TV: MS-T

Odds/Point Spread: Samsung (+106) Lotte (-128)

Ja Wook Koo and the Samsung Lions (20-22, 5th in KBO) go to Sajik Baseball Stadium on Saturday, May 17, 2025, where they'll take on the Lotte Giants (25-17, 3rd in KBO). The Lions open this game at +106 while the Giants are coming in at -128. The over/under has been set at 8.5.

As a team, the Samsung Lions are compiling 5.4 runs per outing, which ranks them 2nd in the league. They have a total of 230 runs scored and hold an on-base percentage of .352. The Lions have earned 64 two-baggers as a unit and have hit 53 balls out of the park. They have compiled 210 RBI's as well as 392 base knocks on the campaign, and their average at the plate sits at .268. Samsung has a slugging % of .426 and have struck out 343 times, while taking a walk on 176 occasions.

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Ja Wook Koo is a batter who can be a difference maker for Samsung. For his pro baseball career, Koo has drilled 175 balls out of the park while driving in 813 runs. He has accumulated a slugging percentage of .511 in addition to having tallied 2,480 bases. Over the course of his time in the league, he came to bat 5,485 times and has delivered with a base knock 1,534 times. He has gone down on strikes 936 times and has been walked on 500 occasions, contributing to a .384 on-base percentage. Koo has an average at the plate of .316 for his career in baseball, with 912 runs scored and an OPS of .895.

The Lions have stolen 30 bases and have been caught 10 times, which shows us their caught stealing percentage comes in at 25.0%. The Samsung Lions have amassed 1,146 putouts so far this season, in addition to 383 assists and 21 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .986 which ranks 2nd in KBO and have a total of 32 double plays.

The Lions have an earned run average of 4.29 on the season (6th in the league), and their staff has rung up 321 batters. Samsung has yielded 376 base hits (8.9 per 9 innings) as well as 182 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.29 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.35. Lions pitchers have relinquished 38 home runs and 192 total runs (6th in KBO).

Lotte has accounted for 25 long balls on the year and 200 RBIs. They have recorded 82 doubles, while walking 157 times and racking up 211 runs. The Lotte Giants have accumulated an OBP of .359 as well as a batting average of .285 so far this season. The Giants have a slugging percentage of .401 and they score 4.80 runs per outing (5th in the league). They have been called out on strikes on 274 instances (10th in the league) and have accounted for 431 hits.

Victor Reyes is a batter who should impact this game for Lotte. Reyes has tallied a free base 358 times while fanning on 990 plate appearances. His on-base percentage sits at .341 and he has earned a career OPS of .757. In the 5,263 at-bats in his baseball career, Reyes has a batting average of .296 in addition to having 1,559 hits. He has scored 740 runs in addition to having 696 RBIs. He has hit it out of the park 85 times, with 2,190 total bases and also a .416 slugging percentage.

Out of their 38 attempts at getting a steal, they have had success 32 times and been caught 6 times (15.8% caught stealing percentage). The Lotte Giants have turned 32 double plays and have a fielding rate of .980 (7th in KBO). The Giants have accrued 414 assists, 32 errors and have earned a total of 1,170 putouts so far this season.

The Giants are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.436 with a FIP of 4.82 as a squad on the campaign. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.03 (368 strikeouts vs 181 bases on balls). They are currently ranked 2nd in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits conceded with 379. They have relinquished 35 homers and they surrender 4.82 runs per 9 innings (7th in the league). The Lotte pitching staff have relinquished 209 runs for the season while having an ERA of 4.36 (189 earned runs surrendered).

Who will win tonight's KBO game ATS?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Lotte (-128)

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