We clear another winning night and hit the weekend at 7-5 on the week. Friday’s slate has plenty of value as series open across the sport. 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 Friday, Sept. 2.
Best NRFI Picks Today: No Run First Inning Bets 9/2
Yankees at Rays YRFI/NRFI Pick | RISK FREE BET up to $1,000
The pressure alone mounting on the Yankees to just secure the AL East might be enough to fade them, but there is a good pitching matchup tonight that adds another angle. Domingo German and Jeffrey Springs are starting in Tampa as the Rays are just six back from the Yankees. German comes off his first scoreless start of the season and has worked his WHIP down all the way to 1.11 in eight starts. Springs should be plenty up to the task of stopping this Yankees lineup with his stellar 27% strikeout rate and a 5.6% walk rate. New York was once atop baseball with the best runs per first inning (RPFI) road average but has since regressed and averages .56 RPFI away from home. Still a good number overall, but that has since dipped significantly since the break.
Best NRFI Bet Today: Yankees at Rays NRFI (-150 BetMGM)
Rangers at Red Sox YRFI/NRFI Pick | RISK FREE BET up to $1,000
One of the two winners last night came from this game, so same teams but a different play. It is rather shocking that a YRFI play is only -115 on BetMGM and the NRFI is not plus money. There is a little value in trying to counter how bad Dallas Keuchel and Nick Pivetta have been by risking a positive return, but without that present, it makes little sense to try. Rather, the better play is taking what should be closer to -140 but is stuck for now at -115. Keuchel is horrible – rocked by the Tigers for seven earned runs and only one strikeout. Pivetta has an 8.6% walk rate factored into his 1.32 WHIP and should provide a scoring chance in the first for Texas. Unlike last night where pitching countered how bad these teams are playing, the two tonight are more a representation of why.
Best NRFI Bet Today: Rangers at Red Sox YRFI (-115 BetMGM)
Royals at Tigers YRFI/NRFI Pick | RISK FREE BET up to $1,000
Besides Colorado, Detroit has the widest gap between home and away splits right down to first inning scoring. The Tigers are the worst team in baseball in RPFI on the road, but nearly double from a .22 average away to .40 at home. There also isn’t anyone on the pitching staff who would give lights-out level confidence, even against the Royals, especially not Drew Hutchison. Runs have not been the main issue over his last three starts, but the season-long trend of giving up hits and limiting strikeouts has hurt Hutchison. That helps the Royals, who are in the middle of the league averaging .43 RPFI on the road. Kansas City sends Daniel Lynch and his 1.54 WHIP to the mound and scoring chances should be flowing in the first.
Best NRFI Bet Today: Royals at Tigers YRFI (+100 BetMGM)
