Yankees vs Dodgers: Game 1 prediction, odds, injuries and picks

The two powerhouses that battled in the 2024 World Series will face each other again on Friday. The New York Yankees will head to LA to take on the Dodgers for a three-game series.

The Bronx Bombers are at the top of the AL East with a 35-20 record, while the Dodgers are 34-22 and leading the NL West.

Let's take a look at the odds for the heavyweight clash and how the action could play out on the diamond.

Yankees vs Dodgers prediction:

Taking the mound for the visitors is ace Max Fried, who has been lights out this season, boasting a 7-0 record with a 1.29 ERA and 67 strikeouts. Last Friday, Fried allowed only one earned run to the Colorado Rockies in 7.1 innings.

New York Mets v New York Yankees - Source: Getty

With the bat, Aaron Judge, Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger are all enjoying excellent campaigns.

For the Dodgers, Tony Gonsolin will get the start. With a 2-1 record, a 4.68 ERA and 28 strikeouts, he has struggled at times this season. Gonsolin gave up four earned runs in five innings against the New York Mets last Friday.

Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Will Smith have done most of the heavy lifting for the 2024 World Series champions.

With both offenses having incredible quality, this game could be decided by the pitching matchup, and that only points in one direction.

Prediction: New York Yankees 5, LA Dodgers 4

Odds:

Money line: New York Yankees -118, LA Dodgers +100

Run line: New York -1.5 (+124), LA +1.5 (-164)

Total runs: Over 8.5 (-133), Under 8.5 (+100)

Injury report:

Yankees injuries:

Fernando Cruz: 15-day IL (Shoulder)

Marcus Stroman: 15-day IL (Knee)

Oswaldo Cabrera: 10-day IL (Ankle)

Jazz Chisholm Jr.: 10-day IL (Side)

Gerrit Cole: 60-day IL (Elbow)

Luis Gil: 60-day IL (Back)

Giancarlo Stanton: 60-day IL (Elbow)

JT Brubaker: 60-day IL (Ribs)

Jake Cousins: 60-day IL (Elbow)

Dodgers injuries:

Roki Sasaki: 15-day IL (Shoulder)

Kirby Yates: 15-day IL (Hamstring)

Tyler Glasnow: 15-day IL (Shoulder)

Brusdar Graterol: 60-day IL (Shoulder)

Gavin Stone: 60-day IL (Shoulder)

River Ryan: 60-day IL (Elbow)

Edgardo Henriquez: 60-day IL (Foot)

Emmet Sheehan: 60-day IL (Elbow)

Blake Treinen: 60-day IL (Forearm)

Kyle Hurt: 60-day IL (Elbow)

Michael Grove: 60-day IL (Shoulder)

Michael Kopech: 60-day IL (Shoulder)

Evan Phillips: 60-day IL (Forearm)

Blake Snell: 60-day IL (Shoulder)

Expert's picks:

Max Fried starts have been a good omen for the Yankees this season, and that trend should continue on Friday.

Money line: New York Yankees -118

Run line: LA Dodgers +1.5 (-164)

Total runs: Over 8.5 (-133)

About the author

Raghav Mehta is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda awaiting results for a Bachelor's in Journalism from Delhi University. He enjoys highlighting the key battles between players at different stages of the game and analyzing the decisive moments upon which they hinge.

One of Raghav's favorite moments, which underscores this, was the Shohei Ohtani vs. Mike Trout clash in the 2023 WBC, where two of baseball's best players faced off against each other in the 9th inning. With the score 3-2 to Japan, Shohei eventually got the strikeout, which was absolute cinema.

Raghav is a Baltimore Orioles fan and is enjoying watching such an exciting young team compete at the top in a very competitive division.

Raghav has loved watching sports for as long as he can remember and realized he was pretty decent at writing his thoughts down at around the age of 14. Combining the two meant he had something he would enjoy doing every day, and he had identified that well before going to college.

Aside from work, Raghav enjoys playing sports, working out and watching movies.

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez

Yankees vs Dodgers: Game 1 prediction, odds, injuries and picks - May 30, 2025