Hold on tight, as this is one of the fastest and most rewarding sweats in all of baseball. Attacking first inning totals is never easy, so it is good to focus on a specific strategy or set of numbers while avoiding the whirlwind of a seemingly infinite amount of data. There is also the OddsShopper Premium Tool, which will identify the best price for NRFI or YRFI plays — and you get 70% off the first month! The best pieces of data come from pitchers — strikeout and walk rates — and strikeout rates for hitters. Better pitchers tend to be more consistent in the first innings, especially against struggling hitters. With that in mind, here are the three best NRFI and YRFI bets today.
First-inning bets are some of the most enjoyable sweats in the MLB betting business. If you want to start making money on your NRFI and YRFI picks, OddsShopper has you covered. Check out our guide to NRFI and YRFI betting and come back each day for the best NRFI and YRFI bets — we post daily NRFI and YRFI articles, and our MLB bet shopping pages integrate data from industry-leading betting model to find NRFI and YRFI picks with positive expected value (+EV) each day. If you’re hungry for more than just the picks we post for free, sign up for OddsShopper Premium today — new users can get their first month for 70% off.
Best YRFI and NRFI Bets Today: No Run First Inning Bets
Minnesota Twins at Detroit Tigers NRFI (+100, BetMGM)
Eduardo Rodriguez is on the record stating he and his family would rather stay in Detroit than move to Los Angeles. Now he is stuck writing that check every five days, not only for the fans but also himself. The Tigers are an improved team but still struggle overall; the good news is Rodriguez has been fantastic on the mound. His 25.5% strikeout to 5.8% walk rate stands out but still is not as dominant as a .286 xwOBA — and limiting a large share of loud contact. Sonny Gray is not as strong off the mound with a 23.7% strikeout rate, but he has done a great job of mixing his five pitches. His .306 xwOBA stands out, as does his limiting of mistakes like walks. The Twins will most likely break out at some point, just not in the opening inning.
Miami Marlins at Cincinnati Reds YRFI (-118, BetMGM)
Good luck expecting that to happen in this game. Both pitchers should be on the hook for at least one run, as this features bad arms against desperate hitters — all in a bandbox of a stadium. Luke Weaver’s numbers are a disaster, and he is barely serviceable as an innings eater. A 17.5% strikeout rate combined with a .367 xwOBA just is not going to cut it. Braxton Garrett is a prime candidate to add to the Elly De La Cruz home run count, or at least someone on the opposing Reds. Garrett is essentially going to have to strike out the side just to keep a runner off the bases — or the scoreboard. Take the YRFI here.
Texas Rangers at Oakland Athletics YRFI (+114, BetMGM)
This was a miss last night, but the value is just too juicy to pass. The number is actually better from OddsShopper than last night’s game, and there is a small edge in the pitching matchup. Max Scherzer is on the road and making his second start for his new team. While the numbers scream a dominant first against Oakland, this is a perfect spot for the unassuming A’s to jump on a mistake. J.P. Sears goes for the A’s and faces a Texas team that had to grind out a run line victory, so the Rangers will come out swinging tonight. Thanks to OddsShopper for finding this at +118!
