Reds vs. Dodgers Game 2: Best Bets | October 1, 2025
Written by: Colby Marchio
Published: Wed Oct 01, 2025, 2:53 pm ET
Read Time: 4 minutes
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Game 2: The Wild Card round is here, and the stakes have never been higher. Game 1 brought both excitement and frustration. Los Angeles came through with a win, but I am still reeling from missing their first five team total, knowing the runs were there to be had.
Tonight, the Dodgers return in a prime spot to build on that momentum, and their lineup could not be hotter. Over the past month, they have been one of the top offenses at home and against right-handed pitching, peaking at exactly the right time of the year. Facing a vulnerable Reds pitching staff, the matchup is as juicy as it gets for run-heavy props. For bettors, die-hards, and anyone chasing postseason fireworks, tonight offers a chance to ride the Dodgers' offense and capitalize on a lineup firing on all cylinders.
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Reds vs. Dodgers Game 2 Best Bets – October 1
Can the Dodgers continue to own the Reds?
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After regretting not being on the Los Angeles Dodgers first five team total in Game 1, knowing how dreadful Hunter Greene has been on the road, I will not make the same mistake twice. Sure, readers and die-hards cashed Shohei Ohtani's bases prop with me, but I wanted more. With tonight setting up as another prime spot for the Dodgers offense, I am going right back to the prop I left behind. The number sits at 2.5 runs at -120, a very fair price.
Dodgers Humming Offense
Los Angeles has maintained a top five offense at home over the last month, and they also rank top five against right-handed pitching in that same span. This lineup is heating up at the perfect time of year, and the matchup only tilts further in their favor against a much weaker arm.
The Dodgers boast two elite-rated hitters and three more graded as "great" per Batters-Box. They draw Reds starter Zack Littell, who owns the lowest pitcher rating on the slate, with troubling marks in both ISO allowed and strikeout percentage. On the road this season, Littell carries a 3.92 ERA, giving up an average of 5.38 hits and 2.6 runs per start.
Left-handed bats have punished him in recent outings. Three of the Dodgers' top five hitters will step in from the left side, where Littell has been tagged for a 4.70 ERA over his last 60 batters faced. During that stretch, he has surrendered 48 percent hard contact, an 11 percent barrel rate, and 2.35 HR/9. Opponents have posted a .284 xBA and .565 xSLG in that window.
This sets up perfectly for Los Angeles to keep rolling and cash us in on this number. The Dodgers are heating up at the exact right moment, showing patience at the plate, creating traffic on the bases, and capitalizing on mistakes. With multiple left handed bats locked in, and Littell trending the wrong way, it feels like a nightmare matchup for Cincinnati's starter.
Add in the fact that the Dodgers have been one of the most consistent offenses in the league at home, and this first five team total over 2.5 looks like the play that has both logic and value behind it. After letting it slip away in Game 1, I will not be making that mistake again.
Best Bet: Dodgers First Five Team Total Over 2.5 Runs (-120) odds via BetOnline
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Former D1 (club) baseball player, Colby has been betting since his college days at DePaul, where he had to endure the worst collegiate basketball the Big East has ever seen. He is an advanced analytics nerd and has never seen an underdog he has not liked. Hot. Corn. Bull. It does not matter the dog he loves them all.
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