The weekend comes at the perfect time as we recover from a 1-2 night, but with Friday comes solid value in first inning bets. With a full slate of action it’s important to highlight favorable hitting or pitching matchups but only for the opening frame. 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. 9.
Best NRFI Picks Today: No Run First Inning Bets 9/9
Reds vs Brewers YRFI/NRFI Pick | RISK FREE BET up to $1,000
The Reds have seen Nick Lodolo struggle around his higher strikeout rate this year as they open their series in Milwaukee. Despite taking the loss, he comes off one of his better starts of the season — at home against the Rockies. He faces a Brewers team that’s red hot in the first inning at home, averaging .71 runs per first inning (RPFI) in Milwaukee. Jason Alexander had a three-game scoreless stretch, but has since seen runs in three straight starts. It’s a risk with both of Alexander and Lodolo’s WHIPs being higher, but there’s zero reward for a YRFI play at -110. The Brewers only give up .37 RPFI at home and Alexander has shown — like Lodolo — that he’s capable of getting out of the first before the wheels fall off.
Best NRFI Bet Today: Reds at Brewers NRFI (-120 BetMGM)
Nationals vs Phillies YRFI/NRFI Pick | RISK FREE BET up to $1,000
The Phillies are in a tight race for an NL Wild Card spot as Patrick Corbin and the Nats are looking to spoil the night. Washington has a couple of good reasons to back a YRFI play, but most of this relies on Noah Syndergaard and the Phillies. The Nats are still hanging on to a RPFI road average above .50 — only 11 teams in baseball average that or more — and face another member of this shaky Phillies staff that’s given up .43 RPFI on the year. Corbin is brutal overall, despite three straight good starts, and is waiting to revert back to matching his numbers — 1.70 WHIP. It’s not an easy lineup to face for Corbin, nor has it been easy against Washington for inconsistent pitchers like Syndergaard at home.
Best NRFI Bet Today: Nationals at Phillies YRFI (-105 BetMGM)
Diamondbacks vs Rockies YRFI/NRFI Pick | RISK FREE BET up to $1,000
The risk is always a little larger at Coors Field especially with two bad teams like tonight’s matchup entails. The DBacks are one of baseball’s worst teams scoring first inning runs, averaging just .32 RPFI away from home. German Marquez is charged with keeping that trend alive, taking the mound for the Rockies with a 1.36 WHIP. Zach Davies counters for Arizona, with a little more manageable 1.21 WHIP. Marquez has pitched better as of late, dropping his WHIP while holding teams like the Mets scoreless in a deep outing.
The Rockies are a great target for NRFI for two key reasons. First, they will always get the benefit of playing at Coors Field no matter how bad they are as a team. Which factors in the second reason, they have dropped — rather sharp — from atop MLB in RPFI at home to now the back end of the top 10.
Best NRFI Bet Today: Diamondbacks at Rockies NRFI (+105 BetMGM)
