To absolutely no one’s surprise, the Dodgers are dominating baseball once again. The defending champs have gotten off to a red-hot start, reeling off seven straight wins. Powering a juggernaut LA offense has been Shohei Ohtani. The reigning National League MVP is hitting .333 while driving in three home runs and ten RBIs.
Los Angeles is favored in tonight’s contest (-130), with the over/under set at eight runs. Ahead of Friday’s matchup with the Phillies, here’s my favorite Shohei Ohtani player prop bet on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Shohei Ohtani under 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs (+110)
Even the most casual of baseball fans knows Ohtani is not human. The slugger’s stats speak for themselves; since 2021, only Aaron Judge ranks higher in home runs (181) and OPS (.986). Los Angeles’ face of the franchise was unstoppable last season, hitting .310 with 54 homers and 130 RBIs.
Still, even generational talents have off days. If any team can slow down a superstar, it’s Philadelphia. Last season, the Phillies held opponents to 4.18 runs per game, fifth-fewest in the National League. On Friday, they’ll hand the ball to Jesus Luzardo on the mound. Despite a rough 2024 campaign in Miami, the left-hander has massive upside on any given night. During Luzardo’s seven years in the majors, he’s limited Ohtani to one hit (a home run) in seven at-bats.
Betting against Ohtani to record a hit is usually a dangerous proposition, even if the odds (+185) are tempting. However, the Dodgers suffered a blow last night when they announced Freddie Freeman (ankle) would be placed on the ten-day IL. Without the All-Star first baseman, LA’s lineup becomes far more top-heavy.
A better way to fade baseball’s best player is via hits + runs + RBIs. This play gives bettors slight insurance against an Ohtani extra base hit, assuming the Dodgers can’t drive him in. It also helps that left-handed batters are only hitting .230 against Luzardo throughout his career. This isn’t an easy wager to place, but it’s rare to get plus-money on an H+R+R prop. Fade Ohtani (gulp) in this much-anticipated matchup.
