Before the weekend gets started, there’s still some baseball left to be played. Thursday’s six-game slate has plenty of intrigue, with 12 different clubs taking the diamond. All but one of these contests involve teams with a chance at the postseason. For those looking to get in on the action, consider an NRFI bet. Three first inning outs without allowing a run is all you need from each pitcher. It sounds easy, but a quick start isn’t a guarantee. Which arms can you trust, and who should you fade?
Ahead of Thursday’s MLB slate, here are two NRFI bets worth placing on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Phillies vs. Brewers NRFI (-135)
We’ll kick things off with the lone afternoon game on tap today. It’s been a high-scoring series in Milwaukee, with both teams combining for 27 runs over their last two games. There’s a good chance that Wednesday’s showdown is a more low-scoring affair. Toeing the slab for the Brewers will be Freddy Peralta, making his 29th start of the season. It’s been a terrific year for the righty, owner of a 2.58 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 168 strikeouts. The Dominican has held his opponents without a first inning run in 86% of his appearances.
Peralta won’t be the only All-Star taking the hill in this one. The Phillies will counter with a stellar hurler of their own, Ranger Suarez. Through 131.0 innings of work, the 30-year-old has notched a 3.02 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 124 strikeouts. Much like his Brewers counterpart, the lefty is unhittable to open games; he’s posted a 0.43 first inning ERA. In addition, Milwaukee’s lineup owns baseball’s highest NRFI rate at home (81.69%). In this potential pitcher’s duel, don’t expect much early offense.
Dodgers vs. Pirates NRFI (-150)
There’s no need to get creative when so many aces are in action. Any time Paul Skenes is pitching, it’s must-watch TV. That’s especially true against a loaded Dodgers lineup. Pittsburgh’s leading man has been a beast all season, despite a lack of run support. This year, he owns a league-leading 2.05 ERA to go with a 0.95 WHIP and 187 strikeouts. The two-time All-Star has surrendered a first inning run on one occasion, accounting for a spectacular 96% NRFI rate. When he last faced Los Angeles, on April 25th, Skenes tossed 6.1 scoreless innings.
For the defending champs, it’ll be Blake Snell on the mound. Injuries have kept the former Cy Young winner from compiling impressive statistics. Still, the southpaw has been effective when healthy. In seven starts, he’s put up a 2.41 ERA and 9.2 K/9 ratio. Granted, you don’t need to be a dominant starter to have success in this spot. The Pirates are averaging a league-worst 3.66 runs per game. Going back to 2024, Snell has a minuscule 2.00 first inning ERA. Keeping that in mind, it’s difficult to envision Pittsburgh getting on the board early tonight.
