Garion Thorne details his best props bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for Game 4 of the World Series between the Dodgers and the Blue Jays.
After a record-breaking Game 3 that kept fans on the east coast up till the wee hours of the morning, we get to do it all again tonight.
The Dodgers now hold a 2-1 advantage in the World Series, and will send some guy named Shohei Ohtani to the mound. The Jays will counter with Shane Bieber, looking to even things up.
With hundreds of props available on the DraftKings Sportsbook, here are my three favorites for this evening’s action at Dodger Stadium.
Blue Jays vs. Dodgers Prop Bets for ALCS Game 4
Shohei Ohtani to Record a Win (+116)
There’s little to no value in betting the Dodgers on the moneyline tonight, so allow me to propose this prop that essentially promises the same thing. Shohei Ohtani hadn’t pitched since 2023 when he took the mound on June 16 against the Padres a few months back, but you wouldn’t have been able to tell from the results he’s posted since. In 47.0 regular season innings, Ohtani pitched to a 33.0% strikeout rate and a 1.90 FIP. In his two playoff starts? Ohtani’s somehow been even better, striking out an eye-popping 42.2% of the batters he’s faced with a 1.22 FIP. That includes six scoreless innings against the Brewers in Game 4 of the NLCS — a contest where Ohtani obviously picked up the win. Los Angeles has scored first in every game of this World Series, and I’d expect run support will continue to be a non-issue with Shane Bieber on the bump for Toronto, as the former Cy Young Award winner has looked shaky in his 10 starts since returning from Tommy John. That just means Ohtani will have to keep a Jays lineup (likely without George Springer) in check. I like his chances.
Shohei Ohtani 7+ Strikeouts (-111)
We all know the narrative with the Blue Jays by now. They swing early in counts and they don’t strikeout. In fact, at just 17.8%, Toronto had the league’s lowest strikeout rate during the regular season. Pair that with MLB’s second-lowest swinging strike rate (9.4%) and its fifth-highest swing rate (48.6%), and you can easily see why the Jays put the ball in play as often as they do. All that said, Shohei Ohtani isn’t your average pitcher. As mentioned above, Ohtani has struck out 19 of the 45 batters he’s faced so far in the postseason. In Game 4 against Milwaukee — a club that had the lowest swinging strike rate in the league (9.2%) and profiles very much like Toronto — Ohtani struck out 10 and threw 100 pitches. He’s fully built up at this point and should have zero limitations on Tuesday night. With the bullpen taxed, expect Dave Roberts to lean on his $700 million man.
For anyone who wasn’t paying attention last night — or maybe fell asleep — allow me to recap Shohei Ohtani’s plate appearances from the ninth inning on: Intentional walk, intentional walk, intentional walk, intentional walk and, finally, four-pitch walk. When asked about the strategy postgame, John Schneider wasn’t very coy about whether or not the pattern might continue in Game 4:
If Ohtani is going to be on base that often, it sets up both Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman for some amazing RBI opportunities. Remember, despite his walk-off home run and a game-tying double in the fifth inning, Freeman stranded a game-high seven baserunners on Monday night. Seven. He essentially came to plate with Dodgers on base each and every time he stepped into the batter’s box. Freeman is too accomplished a hitter to be given that many chances to drive in a run. During the regular season, the reigning World Series MVP slashed .328/.426/.568 with a 171 wRC+ with men on base. He also hit .299 with a 141 wRC+ off RHPs like the aforementioned Bieber.