Javan Shouey
Show Bio
Game 1 of the World Series was about as entertaining as baseball fans could have asked for. Freddie Freeman’s walk-off Grand Slam set the tone for what should be a memorable championship series between two storied franchises. Our Game 2 best bet features the soon-to-be National League MVP Shohei Ohtani. Let’s dive in!
Shohei Ohtani (LAD) over 0.5 walks (+120)
Odds available at DraftKings sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to +105 odds.
Shohei Ohtani stepped to the plate 5 times in Game 1, earning a double in the 8th inning off Tommy Kahnle. He did not earn a walk, however, but the market has overcorrected in my eyes with his Game 2 price. Ohtani is set at +120 to see a 4th ball against Rodon and the Yankees Saturday when he was -125 just yesterday. Shohei does draw a higher rate of walks against right-handed pitching so having a southpaw starter opposing him also factors into Game 2’s pricing, but I think it is too generous of a number to pass on.
Ohtani walked at an 11.1% clip during the regular season, a mark that ranked 85th percentile among MLB hitters. In the postseason he has 11 walks in his 58 plate appearances. San Diego walked him just twice in their 5-game series, but the Mets were very cautious with the lethal power hitter, walking him in each of their 6 games played. Rodon was right around league average with his 53rd percentile walk rate during the regular season, but even if Ohtani doesn’t draw a walk against the Yankees’ starter, I like his chances against their bullpen. New York’s bullpen allowed an above average walk rate during the regular season, and they lack left-handed options at the end of games. That was seen when they opted to use Nestor Cortes in a crucial moment in Game 1. At +120 I think there is enough value to continue betting Ohtani to walk in this postseason run.
