Caleb Wilfinger
The MLB season continues on Friday, and the second half of the 2025 campaign has already produced a lot of exciting action on the diamond. While there are plenty of ways to wager on all of the action this season, one of the quickest bets you can make is if a run will be scored in the first inning — YRFI or NRFI. 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 has been profitable for our MLB handicapping team this season, so let’s keep that momentum going! Here is today’s MLB YRFI/NRFI best bet, and don’t forget to check out our MLB picks for EVERY GAME today.
YRFI/NRFI best bet: Padres vs Dodgers – YRFI (-130)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to -140.
For my first best bet in this market on Friday, let’s roll with the YRFI in this massive tilt on the West Coast between the Padres and Dodgers. While the Dodgers have been floundering in recent weeks — particularly in big spots — the offense hasn’t been the main culprit of late. In fact, the bats have gotten back on track since the return of Max Muncy last week, especially with Mookie Betts finding his swing a bit over the past week. On the other side, Clayton Kershaw will get the ball for Los Angeles, and while he still knows how to get guys out at a relatively good clip, the veteran lefty is facing off against a red-hot Padres lineup that has seen plenty of success against Kershaw in recent years. With the Padres starter still undecided and Kershaw expected to struggle a bit, I can only look at the YRFI here.
YRFI/NRFI best bet: Marlins vs Red Sox – YRFI (-102)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to -110.
My second best bet in the YRFI/NRFI market comes in this interleague matchup between the Marlins and Red Sox. While Boston starter Lucas Giolito is in the midst of a good season by most traditional metrics (3.77 ERA, 8-2 record), his expected metrics do leave a lot to be desired (5.26 xERA, .281 xBA, .504 xSLG, .423 xWOBA). Regression is coming for the veteran right-hander, and we saw that in his last outing, where he surrendered 4 runs against the Padres. As for the visitors, Miami will counter with Sandy Alcantara (6.55 ERA, bottom 10% xBA and whiff rate). The Marlins’ former ace has surrendered 33 runs over his past 8 starts, including allowing early runs in 6 of those outings. All signs point me in the direction of the YRFI in Friday’s series opener.
Make sure you check out our MLB best bets for today
