It was a disappointing 3-1 loss for the Yankees on Tuesday. However, captain Aaron Judge did his part, racking up two hits. Can New York’s captain help the team stave off elimination tonight?
New York is favored (-194) over Boston, with the over/under set at 7.5 runs. Before the start of Wednesday’s postseason matchup, here’s my favorite Aaron Judge player prop bet on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Aaron Judge over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs (-133)
It’s been a year to remember by Aaron Judge, even by his own lofty standards. The three-time MVP is slashing .331/.457/.688 with 53 home runs and 114 RBIs. Right now, there’s a good chance he adds to his trophy collection in November. Still, postseason play has been a knock on the future Hall of Famer. Over 59 career playoff games, he’s recorded a middling .772 OPS.
The good news for Judge? He went 2-for-4 at the plate last night, getting a hit off of both Garrett Crochet and Aroldis Chapman.
The bad news? Tonight’s starter, Brayan Bello, has given the slugger plenty of problems. Over 21 career at-bats vs. the right-hander, Judge has recorded only two hits (.095 batting average). In fact, the Yankees as a whole have struggled in this matchup. Bello has posted a 1.85 ERA over his previous four meetings with the Pinstripes. However, the Bombers did get four runs off of the hurler when these teams met on September 13th.
As good as Bello has been vs. New York, it’s difficult to expect another lackluster offensive showing. At some point, the highest-scoring offense in baseball should show up, right? Right?
Whether or not the Yankees do serious damage, Judge at the very least should have some success. After all, the game’s greatest hitter is due for a productive October at some point. Last night’s multi-hit effort was a step in the right direction. Bello has been careful against #99, walking him six different times (22.2 BB%). The outfielder doesn’t chase often, and will be content taking his base.
A patient approach at the plate from Judge should give him more opportunities to score runs. In addition, it should lead to more at-bats as the night goes on. Keeping that in mind, the superstar looks poised to deliver an all-around performance in Game 2.
