Javan Shouey
We have 3 deciding Game 3s in the MLB Wild Card Series round today that should bring both extreme entertainment value as well as potential betting value. This article covers the first innings of Red Sox vs Yankees and Tigers vs Guardians. Let’s dive into our MLB YRFI/NRFI best bets for Thursday, October 2, while you can also lock in our MLB picks for EVERY GAME today!
YRFI/NRFI Best Bet: New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox – NRFI (-110)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to -115 odds.
My favorite postseason series from a viewership perspective so far has been this Yankees vs Red Sox Wild Card Series. Anytime we get Boston vs New York in postseason play it is must-see TV, and this has been the case in 2025. Game 3 is set up to be an interesting matchup with Connelly Early starting for Boston and Cam Schlittler taking the mound for the Yankees. Neither starting option was in their team’s rotation to begin the season, but both arms provide their team with an electric young arm.
Early made just 4 regular season appearances for Boston’s major league club, totaling 19.1 innings with a 2.33 ERA and 29 strikeouts. Among those 4 outings, 3 were against non-playoff teams, but I am still confident in Early’s ability to earn outs in high leverage spots. Boston may not give the rookie a very long leash, but the southpaw hurler should be able to deliver a clean first inning as Alex Cora continues to lean on his left-handed pitchers.
Schlittler is also a rookie, but the Yankees’ right-hander did at least make 14 starts in the regular season. The 24-year-old contributed 73 innings of work with a 2.96 ERA and 84 strikeouts along the way. Schlittler enters the playoffs in good form as well, having delivered 7 scoreless frames in his last outing against the Baltimore Orioles. Neither lineup has faced the opposing starter before which should give the pitching an edge early on, and I favor the NRFI at current pricing.
Read our full Red Sox vs Yankees prediction for their Wild Card Game 3
YRFI/NRFI Best Bet: Detroit Tigers vs Cleveland Guardians – YRFI (+115)
Odds available at Caesars Sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to +110 odds.
Jack Flaherty is set to start Game of the Wild Card Series for the Detroit Tigers as they take on the Cleveland Guardians. Flaherty was fantastic in 2024 between the Tigers and Dodgers, contributing 162 innings with a 3.17 ERA. He contributed 161 more innings this season for the Tigers, but his production was less impressive with a 4.64 ERA on file. Flaherty will look to put his elevated ERA behind him as the playoffs bring a fresh slate with one goal on mind. That being said, Cleveland has shown a chippiness with their roster to even reach the postseason, and I expect them to pull out all their tricks as they look to scratch enough runs across the plate to advance.
Slade Cecconi was acquired by the Guardians from the Diamondbacks in this most recent offseason, and the 26-year-old right-hander made 23 appearances for his new club. Those 23 outings combined for 132 innings of work, and his 4.30 ERA was a decent mark for a backend starting role. That being said, Cecconi does not earn very many strikeouts, and his pitch-to-contact nature can result in poor outings from time to time. I don’t expect either starter to have an overly long leash for this deciding game, but at current pricing I lean towards a run being scored within the first frame of play.
Read our full Tigers vs Guardians prediction for their Wild Card Game 3
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