Best NRFI Bets Today: Paul Skenes Takes the Mound for the Pirates

Anytime Paul Skenes takes the mound, it’s must-watch television. Skenes is the favorite to win the National League Cy Young award, and he has a big edge over the Rays’ offense on Saturday. 

I’m targeting the NRFI in this game, along with two other matchups on FanDuel Sportsbook.

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Best NRFI Bets for Saturday, April 18

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Reds vs. Twins - Andrew Abbott vs. Taj Bradley (2:10 PM EST)

The Minnesota Twins have been one of the best teams in the American League. However, they will be challenged by the Reds throughout the weekend.

Cincinnati has done an excellent job taming some of the better teams in the league this year.

Under 0.5 Run (-138) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Andrew Abbott should set the tone in this game. He’s the type of pitcher who can come out sharp right away with good command, mixes speeds well, and doesn’t need a few innings to settle in.

Abbott hasn’t been great this season, but he should take his pitching to the next level against the Twins because he is facing a legitimate wing in Taj Bradley.

Bradley on the other side brings a ton of strikeout upside, which is perfect for an NRFI look. Even if he gets in trouble, he can still overcome issues because of his strong arsenal.

The Twins are explosive at the top of the lineup, but the Reds’ don’t have the same pop. If Abbott can deliver, this game should have a clean first frame.

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Rays vs. Pirates - Drew Rasmussen vs. Paul Skenes (4:06 PM EST)

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been a top five team in baseball. The Tampa Bay Rays are leading the American League East.

Both teams have been outstanding this season and this should make for a great series on Sunday.

Under 0.5 Run (-150) at FanDuel Sportsbook

This matchup is all about pitching, and it starts with Drew Rasmussen. He’s been lights out to begin the year, carrying a 1.13 ERA and an absurd 0.56 WHIP.

That kind of efficiency is exactly what you want in the first inning, where he can just attack the zone and trust his stuff. He already showed it against the Yankees, throwing six scoreless with seven strikeouts, so his confidence should be high.

Then you’ve got Paul Skenes on the other side, and even if the ERA looks a little inflated early, the upside is obvious. He’s coming off a Cy Young season and has already rattled off multiple strong outings this year.

Both of these guys can dominate early, and neither lineup has overwhelming power so a NRFI makes a lot of sense.

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Rangers vs. Mariners - Nathan Eovaldi vs. George Kirby (7:15 PM EST)

The Rangers and Mariners will be two of the best teams in the American League West when the season comes to an end. Seattle has started to come along lately with offense, and they have a great pitcher on the mound with George Kirby for this contest.

Under 0.5 Run (-150) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Nathan Eovaldi’s overall ERA doesn’t look great, but it’s a little misleading because he has two great starts in a row. This includes a quality start against the Mariners.

He might give up a hit or two, but early in games he attacks hitters and racks up strikeouts, which is exactly what you want for a first-inning bet.

George Kirby is one of the more efficient pitchers in baseball keeping walks low and strikeouts high. That keeps things clean in the first inning almost by default.

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Best YRFI Bets Today

• White Sox vs. Athletics - Erick Fedde vs. Luis Severino: Fedde has been excellent this season despite having an 0-3 record. He has a 3.38 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. He will throw against Luis Severino who hasn’t been as solid and this is where a run should be scored in the first inning. The White Sox have a great chance to score off a pitcher who has nearly a 6 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP.

• Blue Jays vs. Diamondbacks - Max Scherzer vs. Zac Gallen: Scherzer has been atrocious this season and it’s clear his career is coming to an end. He is 1-2 with a 9.58 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. He has allowed four home runs in 10.1 innings, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him give up a run in the top of the first.

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