One of the shortest-lasting bets you can make in an MLB game is if a run will be scored in the first inning. All it takes is 6 outs to glory, and one swing of the bat can make or break your bet. There is also a lot of value in these bets because the odds are usually very well-priced, and if you’re not a fan of sweating out your bets for 3 hours then this one will take only about 15 minutes to win or lose.
Let’s get right into the YRFI/NRFI bet I like for Friday’s NLCS game between the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies.
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San Diego Padres vs Philadelphia Phillies: YRFI (+105)
I’m relying heavily on the Padres to score in the first inning for this bet. Ranger Suarez was shaky in the first inning during the regular season as he posted a 4.66 ERA and allowed opponents to hit .274 with a .788 OPS. He’s allowed 7 runs in the first inning in his last 3 starts and the YRFI is 3-0 in those outings.
The top of the San Diego lineup is elite, as Jurickson Profar, Juan Soto, Manny Machado and Jake Cronenworth make up the top 4 hitters in their lineup. Those 4 hitters were 6-for-18 in the Padres’ Game 2 win and should be able to take advantage of Suarez’s recent control issues. The lefty has allowed 8 walks in his last 6.1 innings, so if Profar or Soto, who seems to only want to walk these days, can get a free pass, Machado or Cronenworth are more than capable of an extra-base hit to score them.
Joe Musgrove has been good in the first inning this season. Unlike Suarez, he doesn’t take time to settle in, which isn’t the best news for this bet. However, the top of the Phillies order is made up of Kyle Schwarber (who nearly hit a home run to the moon in Game 1), Rhys Hoskins, JT Realmuto and Bryce Harper, who were 4-for-15 in Game 2. All 4 hitters are power hitters and extra-base hit machines, especially Harper, who is hitting .419 with a 1.390 OPS this postseason. At plus-money odds, this bet has value, so it’s worth expecting a run in the first inning of the NLCS Game 3.
Be sure to check out our full San Diego Padres vs Philadelphia Phillies predictions
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