Best NRFI Bets Today, August 2

Philadelphia Phillies vs Miami Marlins - Zack Wheelers (RHP) vs Braxton Garrett (LHP)

Under 0.5 Runs (-132 on FanDuel Sportsbook)

The Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins will continue their series on Wednesday, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET. The Phillies have dominated this series thus far, winning the first two contests by a combined 7-3 margin. The offense has been a struggle for the Marlins post-All-Star break, and we believe this will be the case again tonight. 

Both pitchers in this game have been fantastic all season. They've coasted to quality starts outside of a few outlier starts where they struggled. Zack Wheeler will take the ball for the Phillies, and he is 8-5 with a 3.74 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Over 125 innings, he has allowed 115 hits with 145 strikeouts. 

When Wheeler gets himself into trouble, he has the strikeout ability to escape the jams. His walk rate and homers allowed have also been solid in 2023, so look for him to continue to dominate a struggling Marlins offense. 

Braxton Garrett will take the ball for Miami, and he is 5-3 with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Over 106 innings, he has allowed 108 hits with just 17 walks. Garrett is more home-run-happy than Wheeler, which can be devastating for NRFI bets. 

However, of the five homers he has allowed in his past five contests, three came against the Rockies. The NRFI is 1-1 in this series so far, and the wager will move to 2-1 on Wednesday evening. 

Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees - Shane McClanahan (RHP) vs Gerrit Cole (RHP)

Under 0.5 Runs (-122 on FanDuel Sportsbook)

If a matchup screamed NRFI, it’s in the Rays vs. Yankees game on Wednesday night. The two American League Cy Young frontrunners will take their respective teams' mounds. Shane McClanahan will pitch for the Rays and is second on the list to Gerrit Cole of the Yankees. 

McClanahan is 11-1 with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Over 111 innings, he has allowed just 90 hits with 118 strikeouts. The walk rate is slightly high, with 41 total free passes this season, but New York doesn’t hit homers. They’ve been blanked in both games of this series so far, and we don’t see this changing as the Yankees have been horrendous on offense. 

Cole, the Cy Young race leader, has a 2.64 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP in 136.1 innings. He has given up 107 hits over this span with 149 strikeouts. He has been sensational this season and hasn’t given up a run in the first inning of a game in his past five starts. 

Tampa Bay’s offense can be dangerous, but they’ve declined massively since the beginning of the All-Star break. They’re hitting just .228 as a team in the second half of the season. 

Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees - Kutter Crawford (RHP) vs Logan Gilbert (RHP)

Under 0.5 Runs (-122 on FanDuel Sportsbook)

The Boston Red Sox are on the cusp of taking the final Wild Card spot from the Blue Jays. They’re 1.5 games back in the division, with Toronto coming to Fenway Park for a series over the weekend. We expect Boston to come out firing in this contest as they’re easily set up to take over the third Wild Card spot this weekend with a win over the Mariners on Wednesday. 

Despite this, it could be tough for Boston to hit the ball in the early innings. It has taken their bats time to come alive this series, and it will be the same on Wednesday. This is why it’s best to lean toward the NRFI in this game, especially with the elite pitching matchup. 

Kutter Crawford will pitch for the Red Sox, and he is 5-5 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Over 77 innings, he has allowed 66 hits with 76 strikeouts. The WHIP is the best part of Crawford’s game, as he keeps runners off the bases. 

Logan Gilbert will be his counterpart, and he is 9-5 with a 3.83 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. He has surrendered 111 hits in 124.2 innings and has a K/9 rate that’s nearly 1:1. Gilbert and Crawford should keep the offenses off balance in this spot, and it’s a reason to take the NRFI in this matchup. 

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