Ryan Hodges
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The middle of the week brings a loaded 15-game MLB slate with every team in baseball suiting up. With right around 40 games left in the season, intensity is ramping up for teams vying for a playoff spot down the stretch. Even on a Wednesday in August, this is a big game for plenty of contenders. Today will be a nice bridge over the hump of the week for baseball fans, and one of the best ways to get some action for these matchups is by checking out our YRFI/NRFI best bets. We’ve cashed 3 of our last 4 plays in this market, so let’s keep the momentum going! You can also read our MLB predictions for picks on every game, but for now, let’s dive into our YRFI/NRFI best bets.
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Philadelphia Phillies vs Toronto Blue Jays: NRFI (-120)
Tonight’s Phillies vs Blue Jays game has a fantastic starting pitching matchup. Aaron Nola had a solid outing last week which was a good bounce back from back-to-back ugly starts. His numbers do not look like the typical Aaron Nola this season but over the years he has solidified himself as one of the more reliable starting pitchers in baseball. The Phillies are in the thick of the wildcard race as they are 2.5 games up in the top spot. As Philadelphia looks to peak in the next month and lock in a playoff spot, they need Nola to give them solid outings. Nola’s bounceback from tough starts should be a good sign that he is returning to form and can at least keep the Blue Jays in check in the first inning.
Nola’s counterpart Kevin Gausman has been excellent over the past 3 seasons. This season, he has kept the status quo and just plain done his job. Gausman is coming off oa start in which he hurled 7 scoreless innings which lowered his season ERA to 3.04. The Blue Jays are also in the wildcard but are clinging to a 2-game lead in the final spot. Gausman will also come out firing, looking to deliver once again and keep Toronto on pace for a playoff position. The under has been trending for both teams lately and this starting pitching matchup should reinforce those trends.
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Oakland A’s vs St. Louis Cardinals: YRFI (-150)
Similar to the Phillies vs Blue Jays game, the starting pitching matchup is the primary driver behind this pick. Paul Blackburn will start for the A’s and Matthew Liberatore will start for the Cardinals. If there is anything these teams have done consistently this year, it has been allowing runs in bunches. These pitchers could very well come out and shove. But until these teams or individuals perform consistently better on the mound, we cannot expect them to throw up zeroes on the scoreboard as opposed to the alternative.
Paul Blackburn got a late start to the season due to a finger injury. In 13 outings and 65.2 innings pitched, Blackburn has a 4.52 ERA. He is coming off a start in which he allowed 4 runs on 8 hits and 4 walks in 5.2 innings against the Nationals. For as abysmal as the Cardinals have been this season, their offense can produce. They have a good chance to do so early and often against Blackburn and the A’s. St. Louis starter Matthew Liberatore is getting his first audition to be in the 2024 rotation. Prior to last week, he has yet to impress at the big-league level. Then in his last outing, he threw 8 scoreless innings allowing just 2 hits and collecting 7 strikeouts. Until he shows any level of consistency, that kind of performance seems to be the outlier.
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