Last updated May 29, 6:32pm ET

  • Our Yankees vs Dodgers pick digs into a much-anticipated World Series rematch between longtime antagonists
  • The Dodgers won the 2024 World Series in 5 games and have had a lot to say about how poorly the Yankees played
  • The Bombers start ace Max Fried, visiting his hometown of LA in pinstripes
  • LA responds with Tony Gonsolin
  • Both teams are in 1st place in their respective divisions
Team Moneyline Total
New York Yankees -135 O 8.5 (-118)
Los Angeles Dodgers +122 U 8.5 (-102)

Max Fried Has Been Masterful Since Day 1

As good as veteran lefty Max Fried has been in his career, it was reasonable to expect him to be solid as he transitioned to New York and the pressure that goes along with a $218 million contract with the Yankees. He hasn’t been solid. He’s arguably been the best pitcher in MLB when factoring in how badly the team needed him to come through with the loss of Gerrit Cole.

Fried leads the majors in wins, ERA (1.29), and ERA+ (303). In eight of his 11 starts, he’s pitched at least 6 innings. The only one in which he did not reach 5 innings was his first start against the Brewers when he gave up 7 hits in 4.2 innings and 6 runs, but only 2 were earned.

Since then, he’s been unstoppable.

Against Fried, Shohei Ohtani is 3 for 5 with a home run. Miguel Rojas is 10 for 29 with 2 doubles and a home run. Max Muncy is 5 for 17 with a triple and 2 home runs. Mookie Betts is 2 for 30. Freddie Freeman is 2 for 13 against his former Braves teammate.

The Dodgers Were Laughing at the Yankees

The Yankees are undoubtedly looking to knock the Dodgers around after the World Series beating and LA’s comments about how poorly the Yankees played. Ironically, it was Joe Kelly, who wasn’t even on the World Series roster, and Chris Taylor, recently released and who had one hitless at-bat in the World Series, who were the most vocal.

While what they said might have been true about the Yankees’ poor defense and baserunning, these were not players in a position to talk.

Aaron Judge will want to put on a show after his World Series Game 5 error opened the floodgates for the Dodgers’ comeback to win that game and the series. Judge still leads MLB in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+, bWAR, and more despite having “cooled” lately. Trent Grisham has also slowed down from his searing start. Paul Goldschmidt is batting .347. Cody Bellinger is also returning to his former home in LA, where he won the 2019 NL MVP.

Gonsolin Hopes to Rebound From 2 Mediocre Starts

LA generally keeps Gonsolin on a short leash. His spot is based on the litany of injuries that have hit the Dodgers’ rotation. He’s thrown 9 innings in his past two starts, giving up 11 hits and 8 earned runs. His ERA is up to 4.68.

Except for Grisham and Goldschmidt, the Yankees have limited exposure to Gonsolin. Grisham is 7 for 15 with a double and a home run. Goldschmidt is 2 for 7 with 2 singles. Judge is 1 for 2 with a home run.

LA’s Freddie Freeman’s numbers are gaudy in their own right. He is leading the NL in batting at .359, in OPS at 1.044, and in OPS+ at 194. He has 9 homers and a 2.2 bWAR.

Max Muncy and Michael Conforto are still scuffling with Muncy batting .211 with only 4 homers, and Conforto at .172 with 3 homers. Ohtani is leading the majors in home runs and the NL in slugging percentage. He’s stolen 11 bases in 15 tries and is getting ready to return to the mound at some point this season.

Yankees vs Dodgers Pick: Fried Will Maintain His Excellence in LA

It’s ludicrous to believe the Yankees will get a measure of “revenge” with a win in May after getting hammered in the World Series seven months ago. Even they know that. Still, these are two 1st place teams who could conceivably meet in a World Series rematch.

The Bombers will not have trouble scoring against Gonsolin, and Fried will maintain his brilliance with another outstanding performance for the win.

Pick
Yankees Moneyline (-135)
New Player Bonus
50% up to $1000
Paul Lebowitz
Paul Lebowitz

Writer, Columnist

Paul is an experienced sportswriter and novelist from NYC with expertise in sports analysis and betting. His work has appeared on platforms like ESPN and YES Network, delivering engaging and objective insights to a diverse audience.

maillinkedinx