It's fitting that the series between two of the best teams in baseball comes down to a winner-take-all matchup. With a spot in the NLCS on the line Friday, we could be in for an instant classic in this NLDS Game 5 between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Let's dive into my Padres vs Dodgers player props to see which two players could have big roles in this crucial game.
Padres vs Dodgers MLB Player Props
- Xander Bogaerts Over 1.5 Hits+Runs+RBI (+105, DraftKings)
- Yu Darvish Under 4.5 Hits Allowed (-120, bet365)
Xander Bogaerts Player Props: X-Man Crushes Righties
We start with Xander Bogaerts, who has become an overlooked bat in this loaded Padres lineup. The once highly-coveted free agent now hits in the six-hole, but that spot has been great for him in terms of run production.
Yes, Bogaerts is only hitting .182 in this series, but he has driven in four runs and scored twice himself. Tonight, he and the Padres will see Yoshinobu Yamamoto for the second time.
In Game 1, they shelled him, and Bogaerts was right in the middle of the scoring. He recorded two hits and two RBI in that game. While he may only see Yamamoto once in this matchup, Bogaerts has tremendous splits against right-handed pitching, hitting .275 off them versus .223 against lefties.
With the edge at the dish in his favor and a great stack of hitters likely to get on in front of him, look for Bogaerts to get an RBI hit early on in this one and cash the over.
Yu Darvish Player Props: Expect a Gem
Next, we'll switch sides and focus on Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish, who turned back the clock in his outing in Game 2.
The 38-year-old right-hander tossed seven innings of one-run ball while only allowing three hits. Darvish will be on full rest for this start in Game 5, but it's unlikely he will go deep into this game.
However, his hits allowed prop is lined as if this will be a regular start. Darvish has allowed four or fewer hits in 12 of his 17 starts this year, including all four starts against the Dodgers.
Darvish has been tough to rattle when healthy this season, and he clearly has the Dodgers number. Look for him to hold them in check once again in what could be an abbreviated outing.
