We have a dynamite pitching matchup between the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies as LHPs Chris Sale and Cristopher Sanchez go head-to-head for an NRFI. The New York Yankees and San Diego Padres also have a good matchup for an NRFI. The Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox have a good case of the YRFIs.
Friday’s action begins at 2:10 p.m. ET, so get those winners in early.
All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are subject to change. DraftKings does not sponsor this content.
More MLB Predictions:
- Best MLB Home Run Prop Bet Predictions for Friday, Sept. 4
Best NRFI and YRFI Bets Today
Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies NRFI (-160)
The Braves go with LHP Chris Sale at 13-9 with a 2.06 ERA. If Milwaukee Brewers stud Jacob Misiorowski didn’t exist, Sale would be the front-runner for NL Cy Young. He’s even harder to hit in the first with a 1.13 ERA and 29 K’s in 24 IP. Fellow lefty and Cy Young contender Cristopher Sanchez goes for the Phils. He’s 16-4 with a 2.52 ERA. Believe it or not, his first-inning ERA is 4.82. Opponents hit just .265 with a .291 OBP. So the ERA isn’t indicative of struggling when looking at the underlying numbers.
New York Yankees at San Diego Padres NRFI (-125)
LHP Max Fried makes his 17th start for the Yanks. He’s 4-4 with a 2.80 ERA on the season. His first-inning ERA is OK at 3.94, but three of his seven earned runs came in one start in July. The Padres go with RHP Walker Buehler at 8-6 with a 4.66 ERA. He’s slightly better in the first with a 4.00 ERA and a .263 opponents’ batting average.
Minnesota Twins at Chicago White Sox YRFI (-135)
The Twins send RHP Zebby Matthews to the mound at 9-8 with a 4.58 ERA. The first inning really isn’t his favorite with a 6.16 ERA. The White Sox go with RHP Erick Fedde at 7-8 with a 4.16 ERA. He is terrible in the first with a 7.90 ERA, a .304 opposing batting average and eight homers allowed in 15 first frames.
What Do NRFI and YRFI Mean in Baseball?
The term NRFI indicates no runs scored in the first inning. Its opposite, YRFI, indicates yes, there will be a run in the first inning. It doesn’t matter if the run qualifies as an earned run or not. If a run crosses the plate in the first inning for either team, the wager loses for the NRFI side and wins for the YRFI side.
