The Dodgers won their second straight World Series and improved in the offseason. While some may consider it unfair, the Dodgers are simply spending the money they have available. It puts them as clear favorites to win a third title this year.
The reigning champions open the season against the Diamondbacks on Thursday, March 26. The game will take place at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.
Los Angeles is a -280 favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Arizona is +224. The game total is set at O/U nine runs.
Let’s dive into the top player props for Thursday’s Opening Day showdown in Los Angeles.
Best Player Prop Bets for Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks
Corbin Carroll under 0.5 hits (+134)
The Dodgers are starting Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Opening Day after a solid spring training and World Baseball Classic. The two-time champ is entering his third season in MLB, and will get his second consecutive Opening Day start.
He posted a 2.49 ERA across 30 starts last season and continued his strong play into the WBC and spring training. That should carry over into the regular season, too.
Besides Yamamoto’s good form, Corbin Carroll has historically struggled in this matchup. He’s 1-for-17 with six strikeouts across six games against Yamamoto. Carroll is an excellent player, but this matchup is a tough one for him. Even when the Dodgers use their relievers, the bullpen improved with Edwin Diaz’s signing in the offseason.
Teoscar Hernandez 1+ Home Run (+380)
Zac Gallen allowed 31 home runs last season, which was tied for the fourth most in the majors. It seemed he drifted further from his 2022-23 seasons, when he placed top five in NL Cy Young voting.
While it’s still possible to regain his All-Star form, it’ll be difficult against the Dodgers. Los Angeles has the best lineup in the majors. Shohei Ohtani is the popular home run choice at +182, but he hasn’t had great success against Gallen. Ohtani is 3-for-12 with two walks, one HBP and six strikeouts across five games vs. Gallen.
My choice is Teoscar Hernandez at +380. Hernandez is only 1-for-7 with four strikeouts vs. Gallen, but the value is much greater here. Gallen was also more prone to home runs against right-handed hitters. Righties hit a home run every 19.8 at-bats vs. Gallen, while lefties hit one every 30 at-bats. The sample size was similar with Gallen facing righties just 17 more times than lefties.
Hernandez is a home run hitter, too. He’s gone yard 25+ times in every season from 2019-2025, excluding the shortened 2020 season. He hit 19 of his 25 home runs last year against right-handed pitchers.