Los Angeles Dodgers’ prized acquisition LHP Tarik Skubal makes the Saturday start, and he has a good matchup with the Pittsburgh Pirates to go halfsies on an NRFI. The Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles have the arms to keep it clean in the first as well. We head to Coors Field for the matchup between the Cleveland Guardians and Colorado Rockies itching for a YRFI.
Saturday’s action will begin at 1:35 p.m. ET, which means you need to get these bangers 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 Saturday, Aug. 22
Best NRFI and YRFI Bets Today
Pittsburgh Pirates at Los Angeles Dodgers NRFI (-125)
The Pirates send RHP Jared Jones to the mound at 2-5 with a 4.78 ERA. Despite the meh numbers, he’s a good pitcher with 72 K’s in 64 IP. He starts games well with a 2.57 ERA and 23 K’s in 14 first frames. Opposing him will be Dodgers horse LHP Tarik Skubal, who is 7-7 with a 2.85 ERA. He has a 3.32 ERA and 24 K’s in 19 first frames.
Tampa Bay Rays at Baltimore Orioles NRFI (-125)
The Rays go with LHP Shane McClanahan at 9-6 with a 3.25 ERA. It has been an impressive season after he missed two years due to injury. He starts well with a 2.14 ERA in the first. The O’s send RHP Brandon Young to the mound at 9-3 with a 3.52 ERA. It has been a statement season for him in his second year as he was 1-7 with a 6.24 ERA last year. His first-inning ERA is 4.29, but he has kept it clean in three straight starts.
Cleveland Guardians at Colorado Rockies YRFI (-155)
With this game in Coors, you’re going to get some juiced lines for the YRFI. Despite that, this one holds the proverbial water. RHP Tanner Bibee goes for Cleveland at 4-13 with a 4.01 ERA. It’s his first time pitching in the altitude, and his repertoire doesn’t match up well with it. He relies on a cutter and sinker nearly 50% of the time. Pitches with movement really flatten out in Colorado. The Rockies are going with rookie RHP Gabriel Hughes, who’s 0-4 with a 6.69 ERA. His first-inning ERA sits at 11.57, so the YRFI really makes sense here.
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.
