Pictured: Aaron Judge. Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images

World Series best bets, props, Game 2 picks for Dodgers vs. Yankees for 10/26

Originally posted on Action Network | Last updated Oct 26, 2024 1:19 PM ET

The 2024 Fall Classic continues on Saturday night with World Series Game 2 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.

Our experts delivered the goods in Game 1, going 3-for-4 on their World Series best bets, only missing on the Yankees’ first five innings (F5) moneyline.

They look to stay hot tonight. Among their Game 2 picks are Yankees and Dodgers player props for Game 2 starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto and slugger Aaron Judge.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto Player Props: Short Leash in Game 2?

Saturday, Oct. 26
8:08 p.m. ET
FOX

Yoshinobu Yamamoto Under 4.5 Strikeouts (+120)

I have a hard time seeing Yoshinobu Yamamoto seeing the order a third time in Game 2. He only faced the order twice through against the Padres in Game 5 of the NLDS and against the Mets in the NLCS he failed to make it past the fifth inning.

He struck out eight batters in that start against the Mets, but in his two starts against the Padres he only struck out a total of three batters and got hit really hard.

The Yankees were the best team in baseball against not only righties this season, but against fastballs, which is Yamamoto’s main pitch. The Yankees had the ninth-lowest strikeout rate this season and have the same strikeout rate in the postseason as they did during the regular season.

With an off-day on Sunday, I expect Dave Roberts to heavily utilize his bullpen if he needs to, so I think under 4.5 strikeouts for Yamamoto is good value.

Pick: Yoshinobu Yamamoto Under 4.5 Strikeouts (+120)

Aaron Judge Player Props

Saturday, Oct. 26
8:08 p.m. ET
FOX

Aaron Judge Over 0.5 Hits (-200)

The Dodgers hand the ball to right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2, and I am looking to fade him in a specific prop market.

He’s gotten off to a difficult start in his first MLB postseason, posting a 5.11 ERA and 1.22 WHIP through three starts.

While I trust him to at least slightly positively regress, I don’t think it will come in his ability to limit contact from opposing hitters. In the regular season, Yamamoto sported a .241 expected batting average (xBA) and ranked in the 36th percentile in barrel rate and 27th percentile in hard-hit rate.

Dating back to the regular season, Yamamoto has given up four or more hits in six of his last seven starts.

That brings me to Aaron Judge, the best pure hitter in baseball. This season, Judge finished in the 100th percentile in xwOBA, expected slugging (xSLG), average exit velocity, barrel rate and hard-hit rate.

While -200 is a relatively large number to lay compared to our usual best bets, I don’t think it is wide enough. Not only is Judge 1-for-2 in his career against Yamamoto with a double, but he has also recorded at least one hit in four of the last five games.