Despite the Atlanta Braves’ struggles, tonight may be the toughest test of the season for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chris Sale is on the bump.
The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner was in peak form last season. Largely due to injuries, Sale hadn’t posted a sub-4.00 ERA in more than 100 innings since the 2018 season. Naturally, after being salary dumped to the Braves, he held it down to a 2.38 ERA with 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings, the highest mark in all of Major League Baseball. With the Braves taking punches left and right to start the year, they need their ace to get them back on track.
It’ll be a tall task against the 6-0 defending champion Dodgers. Will Sale mow them down and help claim their first win of the season? Or will the spiral continue?
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Los Angeles is the home favorite at -135, and the run total is set at 7.5. Below, I’ve highlighted my favorite prop bet for this contest.
Best Chris Sale Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Chris Sale over 1.5 walks allowed (-165)
The theme of the season for this Dodgers lineup is spitting on pitches. Despite only hitting .234 as a team, they’ve worked 27 walks in 222 plate appearances. A 12% walk rate for an entire lineup is preposterous.
They’re going up against a precision machine in Sale. He issued only 39 walks in 29 starts last year and a single walk across five innings in his Opening Day tilt. Yet this Dodgers squad might be the most patient group he faces all year.
Despite the juice on issuing more than one walk, I think the value is there. He will be cautious with that dangerous top of the lineup and aggressive against the bottom. Shohei Ohtani can work a free pass with the best of them, but LA already has six batters who have worked 3+ walks this year. Sale may pull off the win tonight against this dangerous team, but I think it’ll take more than one pitch around to get there.
I wouldn’t play this up to 3+ walks at +175 until we see what form Sale is in. Keep it in the sweet spot of two.
