Best NRFI Bets Today: Back a Pair of Cy Young Contenders

Wednesday’s schedule brings a full slate of games for us to groom through, starting in the afternoon and going well into the night. Two NRFIs stick out starting in the evening time slot when a pair of current Cy Young award contenders take the mound to build their case as the favorite. The pitchers they face off against are productive players in their own right, being able to match their production to the result of a scoreless first inning. For more information about the NRFI market and what factors into them being worth a wager, check out our breakdown of Daily No Run First Inning. 

When looking to make a wager on an NRFI, it’s important to acquire as many sportsbooks as you can get in order to line shop with the volatile market. Each sportsbook has their own unique signup bonus, giving new users a boost to their bankroll during the 2024 MLB season. FanDuel sportsbook for example is giving new users $150 in bonus bets for simply creating an account and winning their first bet of at least $5 wagered. Be sure to wager the $5 on a heavy favorite immediately after creating an account, maximizing your chance of winning and collecting the $150 in bonus bets.

Chicago Cubs vs. Milwaukee Brewers - Shota Imanaga vs. Bryse Wilson (7:40 PM, EST)

Under 0.5 Run (-146) at FanDuel

Our first NRFI focuses on a massive NL Central divisional showdown between the division leading Milwaukee Brewers and the second place Chicago Cubs. The Brewers currently have a sizable lead over the Cubs and are the heavy betting favorite to win the division as of writing. There is still plenty of season left to be played, but each game brings added pressure as the window to make a comeback starts to close.

Should the Cubs want to start mounting a comeback and regain the lead for the NL Central title, then they will need to shutdown the shockingly productive Brewers offense. The Brewers came into the season projected to regress due to a lack of offensive firepower, but they have quickly silenced the doubters by ranking above league average in Team Total Hits, RBIs, Runs Scored, and On Base Percentage.

Luckily for the Cubs, they roll out rookie sensation Shota Imanaga in an attempt to limit the Brewers offensive production. Imanaga has played as the best pitcher in the league, currently sitting at the top of the oddsboard to win both the NL Rookie of the Year and NL Cy Young award. Imanaga comes into the contest with an ERA of 0.84, a WHIP of 0.913, 40 Hits Allowed, and just 5 Earned Runs Against.

As for the Brewers, they field Bryse Wilson in an attempt to match Imanaga’s production and neutralize the Cubs early scoring opportunities. While not nearly on Imanaga’s level, Wilson has still had a productive start to the season by possessing an ERA of 2.86, a WHIP of 1.159, just 34 Hits Allowed, and 14 Earned Runs Against. Expect a hot start against a Cubs offense that ranks near dead last in Team Total Hits.

Bet on Under 0.5 Run (-146) at FanDuel 

Boston Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles - Kutter Crawford vs. Corbin Burnes (6:35 PM, EST)

Under 0.5 Run (-128) at FanDuel

Keeping Wednesday’s theme on current Cy Young contenders, our next NRFI targets the matchup between the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles. Corbin Burnes takes the mound in an attempt to climb back up the AL Cy Young oddsboard after the Tigers Tarik Skubal took full command for first. Burnes is far from being out of contention, but his odds have been steadily dipping the past few weeks.

Once being labeled as the universal favorite to win the AL Cy Young award, Burnes now needs to play catch up to close the gap on Skubal. He has the opportunity to make a statement against a productive Red Sox offense as they rank above league average in Team Total Hits, RBIs, Runs Scored, and On Base Percentage. Burnes comes into the contest with an ERA of 2.60, a WHIP of 1.066, 66 Total Strikeouts, 53 Hits Allowed, and 19 Earned Runs Against.

As for the Red Sox, they bring out Kutter Crawford who has had a quietly successful start to his 2024 campaign. Crawford takes the mound with eerily similar stats to his counterpart Burnes, possessing an ERA of 2.89, a WHIP of 1.203, 61 Strikeouts, 55 Hits Allowed, and 20 Earned Runs Against. Expect success out the gate against a regressing Orioles offense that has struggled to generate consistent offensive production.

Bet on Under 0.5 Run (-128) at FanDuel 

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