Series close out across baseball tonight as we look to bounce back from a 1-2 Tuesday. Wednesday also means some earlier games to target for any first inning value, especially for quick turnarounds. Be it a No Run First Inning or a Yes Run First Inning bet, the aim is to combine recent hitting and pitching trends, ballpark data and the first inning moneyline tool at OddsShopper. Here are the best value plays for today’s action with the best NRFI picks today for Wednesday, Aug. 31.
Best NRFI Picks Today: No Run First Inning Bets 8/31
Orioles at Guardians YRFI/NRFI Pick Today | RISK FREE BET up to $1,000
The two pitchers headline this play, as Baltimore sends Jordan Lyles on the road to counter Tristan McKenzie. Both come in with decent numbers — McKenzie’s WHIP is tremendous under 1.00 — but carry some serious variance in performance over their last few starts. The Guardians don’t strike out much as a team and the Orioles will have a chance early, if patient, against McKenzie. The Guardians starter has four or fewer strikeouts in two of his last three starts. Cleveland is one of baseball’s better teams, averaging 0.57 runs per first inning (RPFI) at home. The Orioles give up 0.50 RPFI on the road, and Lyles hasn’t shown much consistency on the mound with two or fewer strikeouts in two of his last four starts. Both teams should be able to put a player on the basepath in the first inning.
Best NRFI Bet Today: Orioles at Guardians YRFI (-110 BetMGM)
Padres at Giants YRFI/NRFI Pick Today | RISK FREE BET up to $1,000
While it’s not a series that required much travel for the Padres, it’s still an early turnaround for both teams today. Joe Musgrove and Alex Wood will take the hill this afternoon in San Francisco. Both are more than capable of taking advantage of the earlier start, Musgrove has a 1.05 WHIP along with Wood’s 1.24 on the year. The Giants are baseball’s stingiest team at home, giving up just 0.26 RPFI to visitors. The Padres come in middle of the pack giving up 0.56 RPFI on the road. This series has seen a couple of first inning runs but not last game and should remain the same today with Musgrove and Wood pitching.
Best NRFI Bet Today: Padres at Giants NRFI (-120 BetMGM)
Dodgers at Mets YRFI/NRFI Pick Today | RISK FREE BET up to $1,000
Tyler Anderson and Jacob deGrom. Certainly, this is a NRFI play, right? It’s not just the plus money — that should be on the move in the opposite direction — but how well both teams are hitting early in games. While both pitchers are at the top of the game this year, Anderson has given up a run in the first inning in one of his last three road starts. The Dodgers are second best in baseball averaging 0.63 RPFI on the road and are tearing the cover off the ball. The Mets are second in the league averaging 0.80 RPFI at home including one in last night’s loss to LA.
The pitching matchup is significantly better than Tuesday night, but the level of offense and power in both lineups is not. Neither team is hitting for that high of a scoring average in the first inning this year without getting over on “better” pitching. deGrom is no joke on the hill with a 0.55 WHIP since returning, but the Dodgers have been doing this all year.
Best NRFI Bet Today: Dodgers at Mets YRFI (+130 BetMGM)
