NRFI & YRFI Best Picks 8/15/2025 Today’s MLB Picks

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs 2:20 PM EST

Pick: NRFI

The Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates will meet at Wrigley Field on Friday, August 15, 2025, with the first pitch scheduled for 2:20 PM ET. The Cubs enter the matchup at 68–51 and remain firmly in the Wild Card chase, while the Pirates sit at 51–71, struggling at the bottom of the NL Central. On the mound, Chicago will turn to veteran Colin Rea, who has posted a 9–5 record with a 4.09 ERA and is coming off a strong outing where he allowed just one run over six innings. Pittsburgh counters with rookie Braxton Ashcraft, who has been impressive in limited action with a 3.19 ERA over 36.2 innings, though he has mostly worked in relief and will be tested in a larger role against a deep Cubs lineup. I expect Rea to have success against this underwhelming Pirates offense, and Ashcraft has been a solid piece in this Pirates rotation. Overall, I see both these guys getting 3 outs without any damage for us.

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Texas Rangers vs Toronto Blue Jays 7:07 PM EST

Pick: NRFI

The Texas Rangers (61–61) will face the Toronto Blue Jays (70–51) at Rogers Centre in Toronto, with first pitch scheduled for 7:07 PM ET. The Rangers have been inconsistent this season, hovering around the .500 mark, while the Blue Jays have established themselves as one of the top teams in the American League. Texas is currently tied for the final AL Wild Card spot, making this series crucial for their postseason aspirations. The pitching matchup features Jacob deGrom (10–5, 2.86 ERA) for the Rangers against Chris Bassitt (11–6, 4.18 ERA) for the Blue Jays. DeGrom has been a dominant force this season, delivering quality starts in seven of his past ten outings. Bassitt has been solid for Toronto, providing stability in the rotation. I expect this game to be a pitchers’ duel through the first 5, which should result in a great spot for an NRFI.

Los Angeles Angels vs Athletics 10:05 PM EST

Pick: NRFI

The Los Angeles Angels will face the Oakland Athletics at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, with first pitch scheduled for 10:05 PM ET. The Angels (59–62) enter the game on a three-game winning streak and will start left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who has posted a 6–7 record with a 3.37 ERA, 146 strikeouts, and 139 innings pitched this season. The Athletics (54–69) will counter with right-hander Jack Perkins, who has a 1–2 record and 4.08 ERA over just over 28 innings. Offensively, Los Angeles is led by outfielder Taylor Ward, who has 29 home runs and 90 RBIs, while Oakland’s power comes from first baseman Brent Rooker with 24 home runs and 70 RBIs. There’s a lot of power at the top of these lineups, and with this game being played at Sutter Health Park, I expect we see some early runs in this game.