It was all gas no brakes in that Astros-Rangers game, but we absolutely bricked the Phillies-Diamondbacks first inning bet. By hook or by crook, these dustball pitchers like Ranger Suarez and Brandon Pfaadt keep getting it done and ruining our NRFI/YRFI parlays!
We’re moving on with two more yes/no run first inning picks for tonight’s two-game slate. Where are we going? Are we hitting the NRFI in Astros-Rangers? Are we rooting for fun in Phillies-Diamondbacks and looking for the YRFI? There’s only one way to find out. Let’s rock.
Best YRFI & NRFI Bets Today: Yes & No Run First Inning Bets
Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers First Inning Bet
We’ve seen 13 runs in each of the last two Astros-Rangers game, which we pretty much expected. The Astros rake on the road. The Rangers had the best offense in the American League all season. It was bound for fireworks at some point.
Left-hander Jordan Montgomery gets the start tonight for Texas, looking to continue his just absurd postseason. Outside of a five-run blip against Baltimore, he hasn’t given up a run. He even blanked the Astros over 6.1 innings in Game 1 of this series. But something in me just doesn’t believe it. The Astros seem to LOVE hitting in Globe Life Field, and Montgomery hasn’t been as good at home as he has on the road since joining the Rangers. Including Game 1 where they were held to six hits and zero runs, the Astros are still hitting .260 as a team against Montgomery with a couple of homers. It’s hard to bet against these Astros bats right now, especially given their success against lefties AND in this park.
Justin Verlander was getting ready to flirt with some danger in his Game 1 start but got bailed out on a first-pitch double play against Mitch Garver. The Rangers have since tinkered with their lineup a bit and moved Evan Carter into the 3-hole behind Marcus Semien and Corey Seager. While we’ve seen a lot of offense the last two games in Arlington, most of it came from the Astros side. With this being the second time the Rangers will have seen Verlander in a short stint, I like their bats to be a little more comfortable against the veteran. Semien and Seager are a combined 20-for-49 against Verlander with three homers, and we LOVE that from the first few hitters he’ll see in the bottom half of the first.
Best YRFI Bet Today: Astros-Rangers for -105 at BetMGM
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Arizona Diamondbacks First Inning Bet
I led you all astray yesterday in this game. We bricked the living hell out of that, thinking it would be a smashfest, but naturally it ended 2-1 in extra innings.
The Diamondbacks are throwing out Joe Mantiply as an opener today. I believe it’s because he’s left-handed and Arizona wants a way to try to counteract the Phillies strong lefty bats atop the order in Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper? Otherwise, I have no idea why they’d do such a thing. Not trying to IKB (I know better) a professional manager, but … I mean, I kinda think I might. In Mantiply’s lone appearance against the Phillies this series, he got smacked for three runs on three hits and two walks … in a third of an inning. But let’s give Torey Lovullo some credit. It’s not like Mantiply got blown up in his only OTHER appearance against the Phil… Oh wait. He did. In a three-inning stint against the Phillies in June, he was roughed up for six hits and four runs. The Phillies top 4 hitters are hitting a combined .500 against him (8-for-16), and that even includes an 0-for-4 from Harper. I’m not in the business of trying to target the Phillies offense, especially not with chuckleheads like Mantiply.
While we’re on the subject of great managerial decisions, the Phillies are starting Cristopher Sanchez today. Granted, this isn’t as bad of a move as starting Joe Mantiply, but it’s not a great move either. Sanchez hasn’t pitched since Sept. 30. That’s 20 days. And that last appearance? It was a one-inning appearance in the eighth inning of a makeup game against the Mets. His last START was Sept. 24. That’s quite a gap, and to be thrust into Game 4 of the NLCS? That’s tough. Especially for a fella who has *checks notes* zero postseason experience. He has no meaningful sample size against the Arizona hitters, but whenever we get inexperienced guys thrown into situations like these where the stakes are high, I’m always more inclined to lean toward offense.
Best YRFI Bet Today: Phillies-Diamondbacks for -120 at BetRivers
Friday’s YRFI/NRFI Parlay Bet
Go get that DraftKings Sportsbook MLB profit boost and fire these YRFI bets up in a parlay for +284. All the cool kids are doing it. Let’s just hope the cool kids turn into rich kids by the end of the night.
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