Caleb Wilfinger
The MLB season continues on Wednesday, and 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 are today’s MLB YRFI/NRFI best bets, and don’t forget to check out our MLB picks for EVERY GAME today.
YRFI/NRFI best bet: Phillies vs Astros – NRFI (-130)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to -140.
Our first best bet in the YRFI/NRFI market comes in Houston, where the Phillies are set to take on the Astros in a battle between World Series hopefuls. Any time that Zack Wheeler takes the mound for Philadelphia, I’m going to look at backing the NRFI. The Phillies ace holds a 2.61 ERA on the season, and his advanced metrics are even better (2.36 xERA, 33% strikeout rate, .196 xBA). He’s had plenty of experience against this Astros lineup, and considering that he’s allowed 1 run or fewer in 6 of his last 7 outings, I’ll gladly put my faith in Wheeler to keep that momentum going on Wednesday.
As for the hosts, Houston will send Colton Gordon to the mound, and the Astros prospect has shown flashes of brilliance in his brief career in the majors to this point. With one of the lowest walk rates in the league (3.2%) and a 3.53 xERA, Gordon is a pitcher that is trending in the right direction, and I’d expect the left-hander to start strong and pitch with confidence at home in this one. All things considered, let’s back a scoreless first inning in Houston.
Find out our Phillies vs Astros best bet — we’re on a 4-0 run with 3-star plays!
YRFI/NRFI best bet: Mariners vs Twins – NRFI (-115)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to -125.
For our 2nd best bet in the YRFI/NRFI market, I’m going back to the well in Minnesota for a matchup between the Mariners and Twins from Target Field. This is a battle where both pitchers should be in position for early success, much like we saw on Monday and Tuesday. With that in mind, I’m anticipating that the arms will have the early edge in this game, which is why I’m targeting the NRFI on Wednesday.
The Mariners have one of the best pitching staffs in the game, and that includes George Kirby, who will get the ball in this one. Kirby’s numbers are undeniably disappointing compared to years past, as he holds an ERA over 6.00 and is allowing plenty of hard contact. However, Kirby’s expected metrics show that he’s actually pitching better than what the results have shown (4.64 xERA, 6.1% walk rate). As for Minnesota, Joe Ryan (3.06 ERA, 0.91 WHIP) has been cruising of late and I’m expecting that momentum to continue into this one against a Mariners lineup that while dangerous, has had middling results against Ryan in the past. Let’s roll with the NRFI in Minnesota once again.
Find out our MLB best bets for today’s action, with our experts boasting a 75-53 record this season!
