Welcome to today’s MLB Best Bets! We’ve got a few solid plays lined up, breaking down each matchup to help you understand why these bets have strong value. With the stakes getting higher, it’s crucial to make well-informed decisions, so let’s get right to it.
Pitching Edge: Yankees have Clark Schmidt on the mound, who has shown consistency in recent outings. Schmidt’s versatility—mixing fastballs, sliders, and sinkers—should help contain the Dodgers’ lineup early on.
Walker Buehler’s Struggles: Buehler, the Dodgers’ starter, has shown vulnerability, especially against left-handed hitters. In his last postseason appearance, he surrendered six earned runs over five innings, suggesting potential issues tonight.
Yankees Bouncing Back: The Yankees are down 0-2 in the series, making this a do-or-die situation. Expect them to play with urgency at home, where they’ll rely on their offensive firepower to get back in the series.
Why This is a Best Bet: The combination of Schmidt’s steadiness and the Yankees’ offensive depth gives them a significant edge. Add in the urgency to avoid a 0-3 deficit, and it sets up nicely for a strong Yankees performance.
2. Anthony Rizzo Over 1.5 Total Bases (vs. Walker Buehler)
Rizzo vs. Right-Handed Pitching: Rizzo’s performance improves notably against right-handers, making him a prime candidate to generate extra bases. His ISO jumps against righties, adding value to this prop.
Matchup Breakdown: Buehler relies heavily on his fastball and cutter, both of which Rizzo handles well. Rizzo has shown strong results against fastballs, with a .310 wOBA, and even better against cutters (.442 wOBA).
Momentum & Playoff Experience: Rizzo’s postseason experience gives him an edge. In high-pressure games, he’s proven to deliver timely hits, making this prop appealing.
Why This is a Best Bet: Given Buehler’s vulnerability to lefties and Rizzo’s strong metrics against his pitch mix, this is a top play to bank on Rizzo’s impact at the plate.
3. Juan Soto Over 1.5 Hits, Runs, and RBIs (vs. Buehler)
Soto’s Hot Streak: Soto has been one of the hottest hitters in the playoffs, averaging four combined hits, runs, and RBIs over the last five games.
Targeting Buehler’s Weakness: Soto excels against fastballs and cutters—Buehler’s main pitches. With a .499 wOBA against fastballs and .447 wOBA against cutters, Soto should have favorable opportunities to produce.
Run-Generating Role: Soto is a central figure in the Yankees’ offense, responsible for driving in runs and scoring. In a crucial Game 3, expect Soto to maintain his aggressive approach and capitalize on the matchup.
Why This is a Best Bet: Soto’s plate discipline and ability to hit Buehler’s pitch types make this prop a high-value play, especially with the potential for him to deliver multiple RBIs or cross the plate a few times.
Offensive Pressure: With the Yankees needing to win this game to stay in the series, expect an aggressive approach from their lineup.
Yankees at Home: The Yankees’ home-field advantage cannot be underestimated, especially in the playoffs. Their offense tends to perform better at Yankee Stadium, where the short porch favors their power hitters.
Buehler’s Recent Struggles: Given Buehler’s inconsistency, the Yankees have a good chance to reach or exceed this team total.
Why This is a Best Bet: With the Yankees likely to focus on manufacturing runs early and often, there’s strong potential for this total to be reached, especially given the urgency of the situation.
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