15 games between 30 teams are on tap on Wednesday across Major League Baseball. With so much talent taking the field, there’s ample opportunity to place some player props. That includes a few NRFI wagers (No Runs in the First Inning); in the blink of an eye, bettors can cash in. However, figuring out which pitchers thrive early, and which lineups struggle, is key.
Ahead of today’s MLB action, here are two NRFI bets worth placing on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Mets vs. Red Sox NRFI (-135)
Less than two months into his Red Sox tenure, Garrett Crochet is already returning dividends for his new club. Traded by the White Sox this offseason, Boston’s newest ace might have the best stuff in baseball. Through 63.0 innings of work, the All-Star has recorded a 2.00 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 73 strikeouts. Tonight, he’ll face a Mets lineup slashing .176/.280/.233 over their last seven games. This season, New York owns baseball’s fourth-highest NRFI rate (77.55%).
The bigger challenge for this bet will be what Tylor Megill does against the Red Sox. This season, Boston owns an NRFI rate of 68.0%, 12th-lowest in the league. In addition, the right-hander has a 7.23 ERA over his last four starts. However, the 29-year-old has allowed just two first-inning runs over nine appearances this season. Considering how automatic Crochet has been recently, Megill is worth the risk on Wednesday.
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers NRFI (-105)
Last night, Ryne Nelson shocked the world and tossed five innings of one-run ball. Unfortunately for the Diamondbacks, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was just as good, allowing one hit over seven innings. The biggest shock of all was last night’s NRFI cashing, hovering around even money. On Wednesday, bettors could be treated to a repeat performance given the current line of -105. Both these offenses rank within the top five in runs scored per game. Still, they’ll both send quality starters to the mound tonight.
For the visitors, Corbin Burns will toe the slab. Signed this offseason, the former Cy Young winner has logged a respectable 2.56 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 43 strikeouts. When the former All-Star faced the Dodgers on May 10th, he went seven innings without allowing a run. Los Angeles will counter with Dustin May, a talented arm that has looked shaky this season (4.43 ERA). However, he hasn’t allowed more than two runs in any of his three previous appearances vs. the Diamondbacks. At this price, D-Backs vs. Dodgers could be one of the biggest values on tonight’s MLB slate.
