Kyle Lupas
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Don’t like sitting around for the entirety of a baseball game for a bet? Well then, the YRFI/NRFI market could become your favorite betting market. Just reserve about 10 or 15 minutes to watch the 1st inning and let the chips fall where they may. All 30 teams are in action this Friday, beginning in Miami and ending in San Francisco. So, let’s get right into it, and don’t forget to check out our MLB picks on the side and total for every game today.
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Philadelphia Phillies vs Pittsburgh Pirates: NRFI (-113)
The Philadelphia Phillies have struggled to score early in games this month, and in 21 games, they’ve had to play from behind in 16 of them. The struggles start at the top of the order, beginning with Kyle Schwarber who’s hitting .182 on the year, .172 in July, and is in a 1-for-23 slump. Trea Turner has also struggled to get things going and has a .226/.270/.381 slash line in July. Turner was given a day off on Wednesday in hopes he could find his swing ahead of this series with the Pirates.
Unfortunately for Schwarber and Turner, they’ll go up against right-hander Mitch Keller, who was named to this year’s All-Star team. Keller owns a 4.01 ERA across 21 starts and is looking for a bounce-back game after back-to-back poor outings in which he surrendered a combined 14 earned runs on 19 hits and 3 walks. Keller should get back on track considering his 25.4% strikeout rate is the best it’s been since his rookie year and his 32.4% hard-hit rate is the best of his career. The Phillies counter with Zack Wheeler, who has been extremely consistent this season. Wheeler has tossed quality starts his last 3 times out and has allowed only 1 first-inning run in his previous 8 starts. The Pirates have scored just 79 runs in July, which ranks 26th in the MLB. I’m backing a scoreless 1st inning in Pittsburgh.
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Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros: NRFI (-113)
Two of the best teams in baseball square off tonight when the Tampa Bay Rays head to Houston to take on the Astros. The Rays are in the midst of a 2-8 stretch, while the Astros are 7-3 over their last 10 games and just took 2 out of 3 from the Texas Rangers. We have a premier pitching matchup with Shane McClanahan and Cristian Javier taking the mound. McClanahan has been spectacular this season and enters the game at 11-1 alongside a 2.89 ERA. Most impressive has been his ability to get through the 1st inning unscathed. In 19 starts, McClanahan has allowed just 2 runs in the 1st inning, with a 0.95 ERA and opposing batting average of .175.
Javier hasn’t had quite the same level of production, but the 1st inning has been his best inning as well. Through 19 starts, Javier has posted 16 scoreless 1st innings. His 2.84 ERA in the 1st inning is his best mark of any inning and he’s a reliable arm for Houston. I anticipate that the bulk of the runs in this game come in the later innings, so I’ll back a scoreless 1st given the starting pitching matchup. These starters have posted scoreless 1st innings in 33 of their 38 starts so I like our chances.
You can also read our MLB mega parlay and our Guardians vs White Sox Same Game Parlay
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