Philadelphia Phillies stud RHP Zack Wheeler continues his Comeback Player of the Year-esque campaign. He and RHP Logan Gilbert for the Seattle Mariners have the arsenal to keep the first inning quiet. The Cleveland Guardians and Los Angeles Angels also have a good NRFI matchup. The Minnesota Twins and Athletics, however, have the makings for a YRFI.
We have a 10-game slate Monday with action beginning at 6:40 p.m. ET. Here are the three wagers with the most upside.
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. 24
Best NRFI and YRFI Bets Today
Philadelphia Phillies at Seattle Mariners NRFI (-140)
One of the game’s best in RHP Zack Wheeler makes the start for the Phils, who are coming off a three-game sweep of St. Louis. Wheels is 10-4 with a 2.92 ERA. He doesn’t skip a beat in the first with a 1.71 ERA and 32 K’s in 21 first frames. The M’s go with RHP Logan Gilbert at 10-7 with a 3.35 ERA. He has some blips in the first with a 4.68 ERA. He has kept in clean in all four August starts, and the Phillies are dealing with a slew of ailments in their lineup.
Cleveland Guardians at Los Angeles Angels NRFI (-130)
The Guardians go with young horse LHP Parker Messick. He’s 9-8 with a 2.54 ERA. His mastery begins from the get-go with a 0.72 ERA and a .118 opposing batting average in the opening frame. RHP George Klassen goes for the Angels. He’s 2-1 with a 3.74 ERA through five starts. His first-inning ERA is bloated at 5.40, but all three earned runs came in one start. He has escaped the first unscathed in the other four.
Minnesota Twins at Athletics YRFI (-145)
The Twins turn to RHP Zebby Matthews at 7-8 with a 5.12 ERA. He has had ample issues in the first inning with a 6.88 ERA. LHP Jeffrey Springs takes the hill for the A’s at 3-11 with a 6.02 ERA. Opposing hitters are batting .305 off of him in the first with a 5.87 ERA. This could be a slugfest in Sac Town.
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.
