Best NRFI Bets Today, September 15

On Friday, several elite-level pitchers will take the mound for their respective teams. Those pitchers could have an impact on how the first inning totals play out for the games involving their teams. Here, we look at the top first inning total bets for Friday, including a game featuring the AL Cy Young favorite and games involving the top teams in the National League.

New York Yankees vs Pittsburgh Pirates - Gerrit Cole (R) vs Johan Oviedo (R)

Under 0.5 (-130 at BetMGM)

First up in our NRFI/YRFI bets for Friday is the matchup between the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates from PNC Park. In this game, Gerrit Cole gets the start for the Yankees against Johan Oviedo of the Pirates. Look for those two to combine for a scoreless first inning to help us cash our first NRFI wager of the day.

Gerrit Cole has simply been incredible for the Yankees this season, entering this game with a 13-4 record and a 2.79 ERA. Those numbers are all the more impressive when you consider how bad the Yankees have been as a team all year and how much Cole has had to carry them to wins in his starts. He will keep that going here against a Pirates team that is tied for 23rd in baseball in runs scored this season.

Who are the Pirates tied with, you ask? Well, that would be the New York Yankees themselves. The offense for the Yankees has been anemic for most of this year, and that should not change in this contest. That will help Oviedo keep things scoreless in the top of the first inning en route to our NRFI wager winning.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Seattle Mariners - Bobby Miller (R) vs George Kirby (R)

Under 0.5 (-115 at DraftKings Sportsbook)

Seattle will be the site of an entertaining interleague matchup this weekend, as the Los Angeles Dodgers visit the Seattle Mariners. In the opening game of that series, Bobby Miller and George Kirby will take the mound for their respective teams. We expect them to get us to the second inning without any runs on the board after the first six outs have been recorded.

Both pitchers in this game with ERAs under 4.00 for the season to this point, which is a great foundation for this bet. Kirby has been especially impressive this year, posting an ERA of 3.48 on the season despite only having a 10-9 record individually. Look for him to neutralize the offense of the Dodgers at the start of this game to set the tone for the rest of the evening.

Then there is the batting average of the Mariners as a team that can come into play in a one-inning scenario like this one. Seattle ranks 19th in team batting average this season, and they may not be able to rely on their power hitting over such a small sample size. We will trust Miller to avoid any first inning power surges here en route to a scoreless opening frame.

Atlanta Braves vs Miami Marlins - Bryce Elder (R) vs Johnny Cueto (R)

Over 0.5 (-122 at FanDuel Sportsbook)

Last up we do have one YRFI selection on our card for Friday night, with that being in the NL East matchup between the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins. In this game, there is a clear avenue to some early offense, as the Braves take on a struggling starting pitcher. But we could see early offense from both teams in a significant late-season division matchup.

This season, Johnny Cueto has gone 1-4 with a 6.15 ERA in 41 innings of work. He has not been at his best during his time on the mound, and anything less than a pitcher’s best will put them in danger against the Atlanta Braves. Atlanta leads the league in runs scored this season by a wide margin, and Cueto is going to struggle against them right from the start of this game in Miami.

Meanwhile, the Marlins are going to threaten starting pitcher Bryce Elder as well. Miami has the ultimate table setter to lead off the bottom of the first inning in Luis Arraez, who is still in contention to lead the majors in hits for the year. If he can get on base, it will take just another hit or two to drive him in, and that is more than possible in this situation.

See different MLB betting sites for more betting opportunities!