Best NRFI and YRFI Bets Today (Phillies vs Brewers Among Pitching Matchups To Target)
By Joe Summers
On a beautiful day like today with MLB games spread throughout the afternoon, there's no better wager than a No Run First Inning (NRFI) or Yes Run First Inning (YRFI) bet. We're getting early action, so why not get early results as well?
There's 11 games on the slate and the team at BetSided has you covered with previews for each. So be sure to dive in before you place your full game wagers, but I've got you set here with your opening frame action too.
Using the odds from WynnBET Sportsbook, let's check out my favorite NRFI/YRFI bets of the day:
Best NRFI and YRFI Bets Today
Diamondbacks vs Reds NRFI (+115)
I'm high on starters Zach Davies and Tyler Mahle moving forward, so I'm thrilled to get plus money on a scoreless opening frame in the first game of the day. Both pitchers have lower expected ERAs than actual ones and are strong candidates for positive regression as we approach the All-Star break. I believe that regression starts today.
Arizona's lineup is down bad, scoring one run or fewer in three of their last five. They score first-inning runs only 17.86% of the time on the road, one of the worst marks in the league. Mahle has only allowed a first-inning run in three of his 12 starts, so he's been a great early pitcher.
Davies has been strong early too, allowing a run in the first in just two of his last seven outings. Cincinnati got shut out yesterday and I like Davies' chances to keep them scoreless in the opening frame.
Dodgers vs White Sox NRFI (-110)
These are two high-powered lineups, but the pitching matchup supports a NRFI bet. Dodgers' starter Tyler Anderson hasn't allowed a single run in three straight starts and faces a White Sox team that, despite their success against left-handed pitchers, scores first-inning runs at one of the worst rates in MLB. They've scored in the opening frame in less than 20% of their home games, while the Dodgers allow an early run in only 17.24% of their road contests.
On the other side, Dylan Cease has allowed a run in the first in just two of his 11 starts. He's in the 95th percentile in expected batting average and his 2.79 expected ERA is the 10th-best in MLB. Los Angeles has scored four or fewer in seven of their last eight games, so their offense is struggling a bit too. Give me the value on both pitchers to continue their strong stretch of play early.
Phillies vs Brewers NRFI (-125)
Zach Eflin takes on Corbin Burnes in a fantastic pitching matchup between two of the best first-inning pitchers in baseball. Eflin has allowed a first-inning run just once in nine starts and faces a Brewers lineup that scores a run in the opening frame less than 30% of the time. Philadelphia allows early runs at the fourth-lowest rate in MLB, and I expect they maintain that impressive track record today.
Burnes, meanwhile, is the "King of the First." Since 2021, the NRFI is 22-2 in his home outings and the Phillies score a first-inning run in only 19.23% of their road matchups. Milwaukee allows a run in the first in a remarkable 15.38% of their home games, so Burnes is in great shape to keep the crown on his head at least one more game.
At -125, we're getting unbelievable value and I'm sprinting to the counter at WynnBET to get this locked in.
Follow all of Joe Summers' betting picks here.