With more than a dozen MLB games taking place each day, one of the quickest bets you can make is if a run will be scored in the first inning. There is value to be had and this market has become very popular. If you don’t like sweating out your bets for 3 hours, this one will only take about 15 minutes.
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There are 2 NRFI/YRFI bets I like on Sunday, so let’s get right into it.
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Any time I can get an NRFI involving Zac Gallen at plus money, I have to invest in it. A lone bright spot in an otherwise poor season for the Diamondbacks, Gallen’s 2.42 ERA speaks for itself. Gallen has 152 strikeouts in as many innings pitched this season, and his excellent form doesn’t stop there. In fact, the right-hander has not allowed a run in his last 43.1 innings pitched. This is a phenomenal mark and should continue on Sunday against a Rockies team he’s familiar with. Even against a dangerous Colorado lineup, I don’t expect the Arizona ace to lose momentum.
The reason why this NRFI is at the current price is due to the fact that the game is at Coors Field. And while Gallen should still succeed in this hitters’ park, I don’t anticipate the same level of success for Rockies starter Ryan Feltner. The rookie has poor advanced metrics, as his xBA, xSLG and xERA are in the bottom 5 percentile of the league. However, the top of the Arizona lineup hasn’t seen much of Falter. I’ll bank on a quick start and for the young starter to fade in the middle innings.
Be sure to check out our full Arizona Diamondbacks vs Colorado Rockies predictions
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.
While our first NRFI play is a bit on the riskier side, this is a safer option. Both starting pitchers should hold edges over the opposing hitters, and it starts with Taijuan Walker for the Mets. Walker has not surrendered a first-inning run in 6 of his last 7 outings, including his last 4 outings against the Marlins. It’s not like the Miami offense is a juggernaut anyway. The Marlins rank near the bottom of the league in most major offensive categories, including batting average, runs scored and OPS. This shouldn’t be much of a challenge for Walker as he looks to give his team a crucial road win. While the Mets lineup has a ton of big names at the top, Jesus Luzardo has been rock-solid for Miami. The left-hander had success against New York in his previous meeting, and I am looking for him to get off to another good start.
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