Best NRFI Bets Today: Sonny Gray Day in St. Louis

There are only five games on the slate for Thursday, but there is great first inning value.

Looking for more MLB betting insights? Check our selection of the Best MLB Home Run Props Today.

Today, we'll use odds from Hard Rock Sportsbook, which is known for great rewards. New customers who sign up through our exclusive link can get $150 in bonus bets when they wager $5 on the app.

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Padres vs. Cardinals - Yu Darvish vs. Sonny Gray (7:45 PM, EST)

Under 0.5 Run (-120) at Hard Rock Sportsbook

The only thing going well in St. Louis this season is Sonny Gray, and he will take the mound for the Cardinals. He will square off against Yu Darvish and the Padres. 

Both offenses got out to great starts this season but have cooled off throughout the year. St. Louis is hitting .252 as a club, which is the 11th best in baseball, but they can’t find timely hits. 

I’m leaning on the starters to shut down the offenses in this game. Gray is one of the best pitchers in baseball as he is 9-4 in 2025. 

I like Gray in this spot because of his strikeout ability. He has fanned 123 batters in 111.1 innings, which is well above league average. 

Darvish enters this contest at 0-2, but he will look for his first win of the season. He has posted a ton of success throughout his career against the Cardinals, so it’s worth taking a chance on the NRFI. 

Darvish has a 3.20 ERA in nine appearances against St. Louis, and I think he will shut them down. 

The Cardinals are getting ready to make some moves before the trade deadline, which should also mess with their bats. I trust the starting pitchers to deliver in this contest. 

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Mariners vs. Angels - Logan Evans vs. Yusei Kikuchi (9:38 PM, EST)

Under 0.5 Run (-110) at Hard Rock Sportsbook

Seattle and Los Angeles are defined by struggling offenses. Both groups rank towards the bottom of the league in team batting average, and I trust both pitchers. 

Logan Evans will get the ball for the Mariners, and he is 3-3 with a 3.81 ERA. In ten starts, he has a 1.42 WHIP and has struck out 40 batters in 54.1 innings. 

The Angels will counter with Yusei Kikuchi, who is coming off a dominant start. In his last game, he pitched five innings while recording eight strikeouts against the Phillies. 

Kikuchi has posted big strikeout numbers this season as he has fanned 123 batters in 2025. This strikeout ability should help him if he gets into trouble.

Between Evans being a great contact pitcher and Kikuchi having an elite strikeout arsenal, this game should be low-scoring. 

The Angels are hitting .236 as a club this season, which is seventh-worst in the league. Evans should take advantage of this and perform well. 

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Best YRFI Bets Today

• Orioles vs. Guardians - Charlie Morton vs. Logan Allen:  Both offenses have struggled this season, but this is a dream pitching matchup for a YRFI wager. Both arms have been inconsistent and allow up home runs. 

• Blue Jays vs Tigers - vs. Reese Olson: These have been two of the hottest teams in baseball, and a big part of their success has been scoring production.

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