MLB Divisional Series Saturday YRFI/NRFI Picks & Best Bets for October 4

Major League Baseball playoff action is ramping up with the Divisional Round starting Saturday, October 4th. There is nothing quite like October baseball, and we have 4 high-profile matchups on tap throughout the day. This article covers our favorite YRFI and NRFI bets for this slate of action. Let’s dive in!

YRFI/NRFI Best Bet: New York Yankees vs Toronto Blue Jays – YRFI (-108)

Odds available at FanDuel sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to -115 odds.

Game 1 of the ALDS between the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays is set to start around 4 PM EST this afternoon, and you might want to get the game on quickly as I expect a first inning run to be scored in this matchup. Both the Yankees and Blue Jays possess quality lineups, and despite it being postseason baseball I believe we could see some runs in this series. I am of the opinion that New York wins this series prior to Game 1 beginning, and their bats will have a large part in that attempt. Kevin Gausman is the scheduled starter for the Blue Jays for Game 1 and despite being a solid starting option in this league, he is no longer the arm he once was. Gausman also was shaky in his last 2 regular season outings, allowing 4 earned runs in both including just 3.2 innings of work in his last start. This will be the 5th time the Yankees have faced Gausman this season alone, and the hope is that familiarity pays off in this spot.

While Luis Gil is my preferred starting option in this matchup, he too can allow runs in this spot given the tough matchup at hand. Toronto did a solid job surrounding Vlad Guerrero Jr. with better talent in their lineup, and the results paid off with an offense that was capable of winning the AL East. Gil only made 11 regular season starts due to his late start with injury, but he was largely effective in that time. Still, the right-hander did allow 3 home runs within his last 2 starts and did have a couple shaky outings within that 11-start sample. At current pricing I side with the YRFI.

YRFI/NRFI Best Bet: Los Angeles Dodgers vs Philadelphia Phillies – NRFI (-130)

Odds available at DraftKings sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to -135 odds.

This NLDS series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies feels like it will be a memorable one with both teams set on returning to the World Series this season. Both the Dodgers and Phillies are titans of the sport right now with their loaded rosters and passionate fanbases and this series is setting up nicely from an entertainment perspective. From a first inning betting perspective, I expect to see a scoreless first inning this evening as Shohei Ohtani and Cristopher Sanchez take the mound. Ohtani made 14 pitching appearances in the regular season, totaling just 47 innings of work in that span. The right-hander was dominant in those short spurts, posting a 2.87 ERA with 62 punch outs. The Dodgers’ pitching staff is relatively healthy right now and they are loaded with talent, so it remains to be seen how long Ohtani’s leash will be. For the purpose of the first inning, he should be fired up and ready to face the lethal Phillies lineup.

Sanchez had an elite season in 2025 for the Phillies. After Zack Wheeler suffered a season-ending injury Sanchez was the guy to step up and serve as this team’s ace. The southpaw hurler posted a 2.50 ERA across a massive 202 inning workload this season. In that time, he recorded 212 strikeouts to just 44 walks issued, and he continue his dominance when it comes to generating ground ball outs. Sanchez established himself as a true ace in the sport in this season, and he will look to continue his elite form in the postseason to further cement his status. The Dodgers are a tough lineup to navigate, of course, but Sanchez is more than equipped to do so.