Caleb Wilfinger
After an eventful offseason that featured plenty of moves that shook up the sport, the MLB regular season is finally here. The action got started on Tuesday with the first of a 2-game series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, a game in which the Dodgers rallied from an early deficit to pick up a 4-1 victory in the season opener.
While there are plenty of ways to wager on all of the action on the diamond this season, one of the quickest bets you can make is if a run will be scored in the first inning. There is still value to be had in this market, so it’s no wonder that these bets have become very popular over time. If you don’t like sweating out your wagers for 3 hours, this one will take only about 15 minutes. The NRFI/YRFI market was profitable for our MLB handicapping team last season, so let’s keep that momentum going! But before we dive in, don’t forget to check out our MLB picks for all of today’s Tokyo Series matchup.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs: YRFI (+115)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to +100.
I backed the YRFI in the opening game of this series on Tuesday, and while it didn’t get home, the game script in the first inning was one that gave us plenty of chances at getting a run home. I expect a similar style of script in this game, especially since the offenses should be more comfortable with playing at the Tokyo Dome, a dome that generally profiles as a hitter-friendly park according to FanGraphs, so I’d expect Los Angeles to start quickly with or without star first baseman Freddie Freeman in the lineup.
On the other side, Roki Sasaki will get the start in his home country for the Dodgers, and while his spring training outings have been very encouraging, it wouldn’t surprise me if he got out to a slow start in the first couple of innings against a Cubs lineup that is not an aggressive unit that gets swing-happy. Chicago is more than content to take its walks and I could see the top of the Cubs order making Sasaki work through some early nerves in a spot where there will be massive expectations placed on him. Therefore, even if the Dodgers end up going scoreless in the top half of the first, there’s a decent chance the Cubs tally an early run to cash this bet at plus-money odds.
Read our full Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs predictions
