Best YRFI Bets Today: Fade Paul Skenes Against the Brewers

Paul Skenes may be the front runner for the NL Rookie of the Year award, but he is as vulnerable as ever for a lackluster performance against a dominant Brewers offense. Shortly after that takes place, we shift our focus towards the matchup between the Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants as Kevin Gausman continues to struggle during his 2024 campaign after sustaining an injury in the preseason.

For more information about the YRFI market and what factors make them worth a wager, take a look at our breakdown of what are YRFI bets.

As for where to wager on YRFIs, FanDuel Sportsbook has been the front runner for the market as they consistently put out lines before everyone else and at very favorable odds when compared to the rest of the mobile sportsbooks.

If you have not signed up yet with FanDuel sportsbook and are looking to wager on Thursday’s slate of YRFIs, you can claim $200 in bonus bets by simply creating an account and winning your first bet of at least $5 wagered. Be sure to wager the $5 on a heavy favorite immediately after signing up, maximizing your chances of winning and collecting the $200 in bonus bets.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Milwaukee Brewers - Paul Skenes vs. Aaron Civale (2:10 PM, EST)

Over 0.5 Run (+110) at FanDuel

Once listed as high as +1000 to win the NL Central division title, the Milwaukee Brewers quickly defied preseason projections by grabbing the top spot of the standings. Even with their defense suffering a massive blow with star closer Devin Williams needing to miss a few months with a back injury, their offense has managed to limit the increased end game variance by playing as one of the best units in the league.

Ranked well above league average in Team Total Hits, RBIs, Total Runs Scored, and On Base Percentage, the Milwaukee Brewers have more than enough production to give the Pirates star rookie sensation Paul Skenes fits. Especially since he receives little to no help from his back end as the Pirates defense enters the contest ranked near dead last in Defensive Efficiency.

Skenes may be the current heavy favorite to win the NL Rookie of the Year award, but his own hyper aggression has also come back to bite him multiple times against teams that excel at making contact. His metrics illustrate that sentiment, currently possessing 78 Total Strikeouts in 10 games played with a WHIP of 1.011.

As for the Pirates offense, they have not fared much better than their defense as they rank below league average in the same previously mentioned offensive metrics. Fortunately for them, they get an opportunity to build some midseason momentum against the Brewers Aaron Civale as he has continued to underwhelm in his starts. Civale takes the mound with an ERA of 5.18, a WHIP of 1.391, 98 Total Hits Allowed, and 53 Earned Runs Against in 18 total games played.

Bet on Over 0.5 Run (+110) at FanDuel

Toronto Blue Jays vs. San Francisco Giants - Kevin Gausman vs. Jordan Hicks (3:45 PM, EST)

Over 0.5 Run (+110) at FanDuel

Shortly after the conclusion of our first YRFI, we focus on the matchup between the Blue Jays and Giants as both offenses will be in a position to succeed against a pair of pitchers who struggle with keeping opposing runners out of scoring position. That bodes well for both offenses, giving them a chance to kickstart a second half push as both teams are currently out of reach for a wildcard spot.

Offensive production has been especially tough to come by for the Blue Jays as they currently rank below league average in Team Total Hits, RBIs, Total Runs Scored, and On Base Percentage. A shockingly bad level of play for a unit that features Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr, yet they are in as good a position as any to round back into form against the Giants Jordan Hicks who takes the mound with a WHIP of 1.324 and FIP of 4.04.

As for the Giants, their offense gets the benefit of facing off against Kevin Gausman as he continues to underperform since sustaining an injury. After coming into the season projected as one of the contenders to win the AL Cy Young award, Gausman has yet to look the part as he currently possesses an ERA of 4.64, a WHIP of 1.340, an astonishing 103 Hits Allowed, and 50 Earned Runs Against. Expect Gausman to continue to underwhelm against a Giants offense that has managed to round back into form after a sluggish start to their season.

Bet on Over 0.5 Run (+110) at FanDuel

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