Caleb Wilfinger
The MLB season is rolling along on Sunday, and the first month of the campaign has already produced plenty 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. 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! But before we dive in, don’t forget to check out our MLB picks for all of today’s games.
Chicago Cubs vs Milwaukee Brewers: NRFI (-130)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to -140.
Our best bet in the YRFI/NRFI market takes us to Milwaukee for a matchup between the Cubs and Brewers on Sunday from American Family Field. This is a battle between a couple of National League Central foes, one that has been particularly one-sided in favor of the Cubs to this point. And even though the first couple of games in this series have featured plenty of runs (10 and 8 respectively), I’m of the belief that we’re getting a lower-scoring game on Sunday. With that in mind, I’m anticipating that the pitchers will have the early edge in this game, which is why I’m targeting a scoreless opening frame.
Both teams will be sending out their aces for this matchup, which makes the NRFI immediately compelling, even after a couple of high-scoring matchups. Shota Imanga is getting the ball for the Cubs, and the Chicago ace has lived up to the billing this season, holding a 2.77 ERA and walking just 13 batters over his first 7 outings. Imanaga should see success against a Brewers offense that tallied just 2 runs over the last 3 games, and ranks inside the bottom 10 league-wide in SLG and OPS. As for the hosts, Freddy Peralta will take the mound for Milwaukee, and he’s 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA at home this season. All of the above points me in the direction of the NRFI on Sunday.
