Sajik Stadium in Busan hosts an intriguing matchup on June 23 as the NC Dinos visit the Lotte Giants. These two clubs sit close together in the lower half of the standings — NC at 32-36 (7th) and Lotte at 29-39 (8th) — but recent form tells a very different story heading into Tuesday’s contest.
Starting Pitcher Breakdown
Riley (NC Dinos)
NC deploy foreign starter Riley, who has been quietly effective in his limited outings this season. His 2026 line: 2 wins, 0 losses, ERA 3.74, WHIP 1.09 across 45⅔ innings. The undefeated record and sub-1.10 WHIP are encouraging signs, though his workload remains relatively light compared to the more established starters in the league.
Riley operates with a well-balanced arsenal: fastball at 148 km/h (37%), forkball at 133 km/h (22%), and slider at 137 km/h (22%), with the remaining 19% spread across other pitches. The near-equal split between three primary offerings makes him difficult to predict and allows him to adjust based on how individual hitters approach him. Notably, Riley owns a 1-0 head-to-head record against Lotte with a 2.70 ERA, a positive indicator for Tuesday.
Park Se-woong (Lotte Giants)
Lotte counter with veteran right-hander Park Se-woong, one of their most experienced arms. However, his 2026 numbers reflect a difficult season: 2 wins, 5 losses, ERA 4.84, WHIP 1.56 across 70⅔ innings. Park has been absorbing significant innings for the Giants, but the results have been inconsistent, and his ERA places him among the league’s less effective starters at this stage of the season.
Park relies on a 145 km/h fastball (35%) as his primary pitch, supplemented by a 135 km/h slider (23%) and a 132 km/h forkball (16%), with 26% going to other offerings. The wide distribution across pitch types suggests Park uses a situational approach, but the elevated ERA and WHIP indicate that approach has not yielded consistent results in 2026.
Pitching Matchup Edge
Riley holds a clear statistical advantage in this matchup. His ERA is more than a full run lower than Park’s (3.74 vs. 4.84), and his WHIP (1.09 vs. 1.56) reflects significantly tighter command. Additionally, Riley’s 1-0 head-to-head record against Lotte with a 2.70 ERA gives him a demonstrated edge in this specific matchup.
Team Form and Head-to-Head
Despite NC’s superior standing, it is Lotte who carry the better recent form into Tuesday’s game. The Giants have gone win-win-win-draw-win across their last five contests, while NC have won three but dropped two of their last five. The season series favors NC heavily at 7-2, but Lotte’s current momentum at home is a factor worth noting.
Prediction
This is a more competitive contest than the standings suggest. Lotte’s hot recent form and home advantage at Sajik give them a genuine foothold in this game, but Riley’s superior pitching statistics and favorable head-to-head record against the Giants tip the balance toward NC. Expect a competitive game decided in the later innings, with NC’s pitching advantage proving decisive.
First pitch: 6:30 PM KST | Sajik Baseball Stadium, Busan