While some bets are designed to be long plays and last a while, others are set up to be quick hitters that settle right away and give bettors short-term payouts and instant gratification. Over the last few years, Major League Baseball has done a lot to try and speed up the game, with the addition of the pitch clock and extra runners in extra innings. However, even with the average game time shrinking, one of the most popular quick ways to jump on the board for a quick baseball fix is an NRFI (no run first inning) prop bet.
Here are my favorite spots for an NRFI bet on Monday.
Texas Rangers at Baltimore Orioles (+100)
The Rangers and Orioles meet in Baltimore in the earliest game of the night. Since Oriole Park at Camden Yards has been a hitter-friendly spot, this NFRI prop comes in at even money. I actually think it’s a sneaky spot to attack, though, since both starting pitchers have been solid.
The home team will call on lefty Trevor Rogers, who has a 3.12 ERA, 2.38 FIP and 1.15 WHIP in his two games this season over 8 2/3 innings in the majors. He also had some solid numbers in Triple-A. He has held lefties to a .100 batting average in his limited action this season.
Rogers has a favorable matchup against the Rangers, who have only managed 17 runs in their last six games while hitting only .216 as a team. The Rangers rank in the bottom 10 in the majors in batting average and wOBA against lefties.
The Rangers will counter with a lefty of their own, with Patrick Corbin taking the mound for his 14th start of the season. Corbin is 4-6 with a 3.91 ERA and 4.60 FIP. The veteran has only allowed a run in the first inning in two of his 14 starts this season.
He’s also in a good matchup since the Orioles’ lineup is so stuffed with left-handed hitters. Corbin has held lefties to a .194 batting average, and the Orioles have the lowest wOBA in the majors against southpaws.
I think both lefties will be able to get through the first inning without giving up a run, and it’s a great spot to roll with an NFRI at +100.
Seattle Mariners at Minnesota Twins (-110)
The Mariners and Twins meet in Minnesota to start the week with a nice pitching matchup between Bryan Woo and Bailey Ober.
Ober is the higher risk of the two starting pitchers. He’s 4-4 with a 4.54 ERA and 4.71 FIP, but he has been better at home. He has not allowed a run in the first inning of nine of his last 12 starts, although both the Reds and Rangers got to him in his two most recent starts.
The Mariners just played a wind-aided series in Chicago, and they come in playing well, but Ober will try to slow them down on Monday night.
The Mariners will give the ball to Woo, whom I have much more confidence in in this NRFI. He gave up just one hit in seven innings against the Red Sox in his last start to improve to 6-4 with a 3.12 ERA, 3.50 FIP, and just a 0.94 WHIP.
The weather is one of the better spots on the board, so even though this isn’t a slam dunk NRFI, it’s one of the best ones on the board on Monday.
Pittsburgh Pirates at Milwaukee Brewers (-110)
Another Midwest game worth checking out for NRFI is the NL Central matchup between the Pirates and Brewers.
Chad Patrick is on the mound for the Brewers as they return home with a four-game winning streak. The 26-year-old rookie is only 3-7 in his 16 games, but he has a solid 3.50 ERA, 3.60 FIP and 1.28 WHIP. He has only given up a run in the first inning in three of his 15 starts.
Patrick has allowed a run in the first inning only once in his nine starts at home, and the Pirates are also one of the lowest scoring teams in the majors, so Patrick should be good to go on his half of the first.
The bigger risk is on the other side of the matchup, where Braxton Ashcraft will be making his first MLB start for the Pirates. At Triple-A, Ashcraft went 3-3 with a 5.03 ERA, 4.13 FIP and 56 strikeouts in 48 1/3 innings. He has been more effective out of the bullpen in the majors, though, going 1-0 with a 1.54 ERA in 11 2/3 innings.
Since he has been so effective as a relief pitcher, I think Ashcraft has a good shot at keeping the Brewers off the scoreboard in the first inning, even though I do like the Brewers to win the game.
The warm weather in other spots makes playing indoors at American Family Field at least a controlled environment and a known commodity.
