St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Joshua Baez became the first player ever to hit three home runs in his first three career at-bats Saturday. He brings his scorching bat to cash a YRFI in the second game of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds. The Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays have a matchup primed for an NRFI. The battle of Chicago looks to get things started early with a YRFI when the Chicago White Sox visit the Chicago Cubs.
Monday's action will begin at 1:40 p.m. ET, so be sure to get those wagers in promptly.
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 Monday, Aug. 17
Best NRFI and YRFI Bets Today
St. Louis Cardinals at Cincinnati Reds Game 2 YRFI (-120)
Cardinals RHP Andre Pallante is having a breakout year at 12-6 with a 3.46 ERA. His worst inning is the first, though, with a 5.09 ERA. RHP Rhett Lowder has given up plenty of loud contact at 4-8 with a 5.15 ERA. It all starts in the first with a 6.00 ERA. The Great American Ball Park is one of the best parks for hitters, and the scoreboard operators should be warmed up early.
Baltimore Orioles at Tampa Bay Rays NRFI (-125)
The O's go with RHP Brandon Young at 9-3 with a 3.33 ERA. He has had some hiccups in the first with a 4.50 ERA. He has kept it clean in the first in six of the last seven starts, though. The Rays go with LHP Shane McClanahan, who is 9-6 with a 3.09 ERA and a 2.25 ERA in the first. The NRFI is the way to go.
Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs YRFI (-110)
RHP Luis Castillo goes for the Sox at 4-9 with a 4.96 ERA. He has been better in the first of late with a 3.32 ERA, but it has been a struggle at times. Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga despises the first inning. His first-inning ERA is 5.25 despite being 8-9 with a 3.74 ERA on the season. The wind will be a factor here, but we like the YRFI no matter which way it blows.
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.
