Another year, same old Aaron Judge. New York’s face of the franchise has been unreal this season, leading Major League Baseball in numerous hitting statistics. Tonight, his Yankees host a Giants squad holding opponents to the second-fewest runs per game (3.25). Can the slugger do damage against one of baseball’s best pitching staffs?
New York enters as favorites (-130) vs. San Francisco on Friday, with the over/under set at 8 runs. Before the start of tonight’s inter-league showdown, here’s my favorite Aaron Judge player prop bet on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Aaron Judge 1+ home runs (+210)
As of this writing, Judge leads baseball in home runs (six), RBIs (20) and slugging percentage (.792). Those numbers, after just 12 games, are nothing short of jaw-dropping. Still, that also makes it hard to find value when betting on the two-time MVP.
A six-game road trip to Pittsburgh and Detroit wasn’t kind to New York’s offense. Judge remained productive with a .292 batting average, but he only slugged one homer during that time. A lack of power is to be expected when playing at pitcher’s parks in the middle of April. Friday’s return to the hitter-friendly confines of Yankee Stadium should serve the big man well.
San Francisco will turn to starter Robbie Ray for tonight’s series-opening matchup. The former Cy Young winner has experience pitching in the Bronx, having spent two years with the Blue Jays. However, that hasn’t led to success against every Yankees batter. Judge has three career hits, all home runs, in eight plate appearances vs. the left-hander.
Typically, southpaws have more success at Yankee Stadium, as batters can’t pull fly balls towards the short porch. Unfortunately for Ray, Judge isn’t most batters. New York’s captain is capable of flicking any mistake towards right field. Home run bets aren’t something I target very often. However, I’m willing to make an exception for the sport’s greatest hitter.
