Best NRFI Bets Today: Yankees vs. Twins Has Value

There are a couple of good pitching matchups on Thursday in Major League Baseball. For matchups like these, we always look to the NRFI (no runs first inning). 

The NRFI is one of the most exciting bets in all of sports and we have two games that have value in the market. These are our picks for the best NRFI games for Thursday. If you’re looking for a parlay, combine the two for +238. 

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Best NRFI Bets Today: Rays vs. Red Sox (7:10 PM, EST)

1st Inning Under 0.5 Runs (-108) at FanDuel

The Tampa Bay Rays travel to Boston to take on the Red Sox on Thursday night. In this matchup, two pitchers have been solid on the year with Zack Littell and Cooper Criswell. 

Tampa Bay is 21-22, putting them in fourth place in a loaded AL East division. Conversely, Boston is 22-20, in third place in this division. For a matchup like this, taking the NRFI and sweating a simple six-outs has value with the elite pitchers.  

Littell has a 2-2 record with a 3.02 ERA this season. He has struck out 45 batters in 44.2 innings pitched. He also has a 1.28 WHIP and is coming off a 5.2-inning performance in which he gave up four hits and only two earned runs. 

On the other side, Cooper Criswell has also been very good this year. He has a 2.10 ERA in 25.2 innings this season. Criswell also has a 1.01 WHIP and is coming off a five-inning performance where he allowed two runs. 

While it wasn’t a quality start, it was a great performance. The Red Sox have a dangerous home run-hitting lineup with stars at the top of the order. These players have power potential, but Littell is good enough to change speeds and keep them off balance. 

Bet on Under 0.5 Runs (-108) at FanDuel

Best NRFI Bets Today: Yankees vs. Twins (1:10 PM, EST)

1st Inning Under 0.5 Runs (-134) at FanDuel

On Thursday afternoon, the New York Yankees will play the Minnesota Twins. The Yankees are having a spectacular season so far, sitting at 28-15, just behind Baltimore in the AL East. 

The Twins are also having a great year, as they are 24-17, putting them in third place in the AL Central.

This matchup includes two dominant starting pitchers. The Yankees are starting Clarke Schmidt, who is 4-1 on the season with a 2.95 ERA. Schmidt has struck out 47 batters this season in 42.2 innings pitched, which is well above the league average. 

The Twins are going with Joe Ryan, who is 2-2 on the year with a 3.21 ERA. Ryan is averaging well above a strikeout an inning, having fanned 53 batters in 47.2 innings. 

He also has a WHIP of 0.99 and is coming off a seven-inning performance in which he had seven strikeouts and only one earned run allowed. 

Anytime we have a matchup with two great starting pitchers, the NRFI is always one of our first bets to examine. Look for Schmidt and Ryan to have a clean first inning and to slow the bats down early and often. 

As long as Ryan can maneuver the big bats in the top of the order for New York like Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, the NRFI should be just fine.

Bet on Under 0.5 Runs (-134) at FanDuel

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