Best NRFI Bets Today: Playoff Caliber Teams Start Clash This Weekend

This Friday is going to be the start of several series that will be incredibly enjoyable to watch. Some matchups have that playoff atmosphere with the teams going against each other.

These series will be a great opportunity to place great bets in many different fields, including the NRFI bets. Some matchups that will be starting on Friday have a great chance of not having a single run scored in the first inning.

One series to pay attention to that features potential playoff-calibers teams is the Baltimore Orioles vs Cincinnati Reds matchup. Another game that wouldn't be considered for the NRFI bet last year, but has great potential this season is the matchup between Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers.

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Best NRFI Bets Today: Baltimore Orioles vs. Cincinnati Reds (6:10 PM EST)

Under 0.5 Runs (-110) at DraftKings Sportsbook

One of the most underrated series going into this weekend is the AL-NL three-game series between the Baltimore Orioles (20-11) and the Cincinnati Reds (16-15). The Orioles came out of a rocky series versus the Oakland Athletics to defeat the New York Yankees in three of the four games played this week. The Reds, meanwhile, are coming off a difficult stretch of opponents against the Philadelphia Phillies, at the Texas Rangers, and at the San Diego Padres. The Reds have lost six of the last ten games to these opponents.

Baltimore and Cincinnati are looking to start this new series with a solid win. The big key going into this game is the matchup of the pitchers from both teams.

Starting for the Orioles in the game one of this series is left-handed pitcher Cole Irvin. In the five games played and started, Irvin has accounted for a season ERA of 3.49. He hasn’t allowed a single run in the last two games played for Baltimore.

Irvin hasn't allowed a run in the first inning all season and has only allowed a run in the second inning once. He will take on a talented Reds team that knows how to get on base, but they rarely establish their rhythm early in the game. Cincinnati ranks 25th in the MLB in runs accounted for in the first inning (0.35).

The Reds will start 24-year-old Hunter Greene as the starting pitcher in the game against the Orioles. In the six games played and started, Greene has accounted for a season ERA of 3.63 with 15 total runs allowed. 

Greene has been one of the more reliable pitchers in the NL Central when it comes to efficiency at the mound and holding opponents from scoring early. In three of his six games played, Greene didn't allow a run until the fourth inning. He only allowed one game where he allowed runs in the first two innings with that game being against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Greene should have a solid opportunity to hold the Orioles early with the team ranking 23rd in the league in runs accounted for in the first inning.

Bet on Under 0.5 Runs (-110) at DraftKings

Best NRFI Bets Today: Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (10:10 PM EST)

Under 0.5 Runs (-110) at DraftKings Sportsbook

The biggest series matchup heading into this busy weekend of the MLB is set as the Atlanta Braves (20-9) go on the road to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers (20-13). The Braves are looking to rebound from their last series as they lost two of the three games played at the Seattle Mariners this week. Los Angeles has won three of the last series played, all on the road, but have lost two of the last four games played.

Last season, an argument could be made that two of the most explosive offenses in the league could get off to a hot start and account for early runs in the game. This season, that isn't the case as both the Braves and the Dodgers are far away from the hot-starting team they were last season. The Dodgers are ranked 14th in the MLB in runs accounted for in the first inning (0.52) while the Braves are ranked 18th in the same category (0.45). 

The Braves will be starting one of their best healthy starting pitchers this season in Charlie Morton. In five games played and started, Morton has accounted for a season ERA of 3.60 with only 12 runs allowed. He hasn't allowed a single run in the first inning all this season.

The Dodgers will be starting Gavin Stone, who has allowed a season ERA of 4.68 and 13 runs through five games played and started. There is some slight concern with Stone starting as he has had two games this season where he has allowed runs in the first inning. His worst early performance was giving up three runs in the first inning of the Dodgers' 8-1 road loss to the Chicago Cubs on April 7.

Look for this game and the first inning to potentially set the tone for a lower-scoring series than expected between these two NLCS caliber teams.

Bet on Under 0.5 Runs (-110) at DraftKings

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