Best NRFI Bets Today: Elimination Games in the Wild Card

Three of the four Wild Card series will have an elimination game on Thursday. The Los Angeles Dodgers were the only team to sweep their opponent, which leaves us with Tigers vs Guardians, Padres vs Cubs, and Red Sox vs Yankees.

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There is a lot of value on the board, and I have two NRFI bets for Thursday.

Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook is where I’m getting the odds for the bets. New customers can get $150 in bonus bets if their first $5 wager wins on the app and they sign up through our exclusive link.

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Tigers vs. Guardians - Jack Flaherty vs. Slade Cecconi (3:00 PM, EST)

Under 0.5 Run (-140) at Hard Rock Sportsbook

The Cleveland Guardians found a way to force an elimination game on Thursday against the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers and Guardians have been competing all season, but their 2025 narrative will conclude in the series finale.

The Tigers took the first game of the Wild Card thanks to a great pitching performance from Tarik Skubal. Cleveland bounced back thanks to clutch hitting late in the game.

The Tigers and Guardians have played in low scoring games all season that have been defined by pitching. Thursday’s matchup should be no different because two quality wings will take the ball for their respective teams.

Jack Flaherty will pitch for the Tigers, and he is 8-15 with a 4.64 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. He was 19th in MLB in strikeouts with 188 this season.

Flaherty’s strikeout ability should be useful getting out of jams. This is an ideal quality for a starting pitcher where you’re betting a NRFI.

Slade Cecconi will throw for the Guardians, and he has been average this season with numbers similar to Flaherty. Cecconi wins with control over power, and I trust him to continue locating on Saturday.

These two pitchers can throw the opposing offenses off balance, and this should make for no runs in the first inning.

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Padres vs. Cubs - Yu Darvish vs. Jameson Taillon (4:05 PM EST)

Under 0.5 Run (-115) at Hard Rock Sportsbook

The San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs will battle on Thursday for a chance to play in the NLDS. The San Diego Padres took the second game of this series 3-0 to force an elimination game.

San Diego has the most championship experience, and they’re going to need to tap into their resources to win. As far as a NRFI, this game is solid because the wind is blowing in at Wrigley Field.

Yu Darvish is 5-5 with a 5.38 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. He has a 7.26 ERA on the road, but he has pitched in so many big games in his career where he should be ready to throw.

Playoff experience trumps recent pitching stats in any playoff game, so Darvish should have a clean first inning. Jameson Taillon will throw for the Cubs, and he has been a reliable third starter.

Taillon is 11-7 with a 3.68 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. The Padres have some big bats at the top of the order, but Taillon is a veteran pitcher who knows how to handle powerful bats.

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Best YRFI Bets Today

• Red Sox vs. Yankees - Connelly Earlt vs. Cam Schlittler: Both starting pitchers are young and making their first playoff start. One of the veterans will take advantage of an early mistake.

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