Best NRFI Bets Today: This Divisional Matchup Highlights Our Favorite NRFI

We’re taking two NRFI bets for Thursday’s MLB slate. The first NRFI is in the Reds vs. Cardinals game. This matchup features Andrew Abbott and Miles Mikolas.

The second NRFI we’re focusing on is in Cubs vs. Giants. Shota Imanaga takes the hill against Jordan Hicks.

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Best NRFI Bets Today: Reds vs. Cardinals (7:45 PM, EST)

1st Inning Under 0.5 Runs (-118) at FanDuel 

The Reds travel to St. Louis to take on the Cardinals for the first game of the series. Cincinnati is 37-43 in last place in the NL Central. St. Louis is 40-37 only trailing Milwaukee in the division by 5.5 games. 

The Reds are starting Andrew Abbott, who is 6-6 with a 3.40 ERA. He has recorded 70 strikeouts in 84.2 innings in 2024. Abbott has a WHIP of 1.18 and has only allowed six earned runs in his last 15.2 innings. 

The Cardinals are going with Miles Mikolas who is 6-6 with a 4.68 ERA. He has fanned 67 batters in 90.1 innings. Mikolas is among the best pitchers at yielding soft contact in the league, which is why we like him for this NRFI bet. 

Abbott is coming off a 5.2-inning performance, allowing two earned runs on four hits against Boston. 

Mikolas has only walked 17 batters in 2024, which is key when selecting a NRFI bet. In June, he is 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA and has only given up two home runs, which was his problem at the beginning of the year. 

Cincinnati ranks 26th in the league in terms of team batting average at .229. St. Louis is 17th, hitting .241 in 2024. Look for both starters to go deep into this game and shut down the offenses.

Bet on 1st Inning Under 0.5 Runs (-118) at FanDuel 

Best NRFI Bets Today: Cubs vs. Giants (3:45 PM, EST)

1st Inning Under 0.5 Runs (-146) at FanDuel

Chicago takes on San Francisco in a matchup featuring Shota Imanaga and Jordan Hicks. The Cubs are 37-43 in fourth place in the NL Central. The Giants are 38-42 in the NL West and have some ground to make up in the standings. 

Shota Imanaga takes the mound for the Cubs with a 7-2 record and a 2.96 ERA. He has struck out 81 batters in 79 innings, which is well above the league average. Imanaga has been the ace the Cubs have been looking for, and he is having a great rookie campaign. 

The Giants are going with Jordan Hicks, who is 4-4 with a 3.24 ERA. He is making a smooth transition from the bullpen in 2024. He has a WHIP of 1.28 and has struck out 69 batters in 80.2 innings. 

Hicks faced Chicago earlier in the season, going five innings allowing just four hits and no runs. In this game, he walked four batters but used his strikeout ability to limit damage.

The Cubs are hitting .229 as a team, which ranks 25th in the league. The Giants rank 14th, hitting .246. Neither offense presents a massive threat, especially at Oracle Park, where the venue favors pitchers. 

Both teams have to work to climb the standings before the All-Star break. We expect both starting pitchers to have this in their minds and come out firing.

Bet on 1st Inning Under 0.5 Runs (-146) at FanDuel 

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