Best NRFI Bets Today: Paul Skenes to Shut Down the Astros Offense

After a dominant start to the year, current Rookie of the Year betting favorite Paul Skenes looks to start his second half of the season strong with a dazzling performance against the Houston Astros. While that takes place, both the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers are poised to struggle on offense against a pair of productive arms taking the mound.

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 a NRFI, it’s vital to have as many sportsbooks as you can get in order to line shop the very volatile market. Each sportsbook also has their own unique signup bonus, giving new users a boost to their bankroll to wager with during the MLB season.

FanDuel Sportsbook for example is giving new users $200 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 or alt line immediately after signing up, maximizing your chances of winning and collecting the $200 in bonus bets.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Houston Astros - Paul Skenes vs. Jake Bloss (8:10 PM, EST)

Under 0.5 Run (-150) at FanDuel

Since making his debut a few weeks into the season, Paul Skenes has made quick work in his efforts to be listed as a heavy favorite to win the NL Rookie of the Year award. Not only is he in a great position to bring home Rookie of the Year honors, but Skenes has also made a leap up the oddsboard for the NL Cy Young award since getting the opportunity to start for the National League in the All Star game.

His odds movement has been well deserved as Skenes is arguably playing as the best pitcher in the league. In 12 games played, Skenes possesses an ERA of 1.93, a WHIP of 0.871, a FIP of 2.58, 97 Total Strikeouts, 13 Batters Walked, 52 Hits Against, and 16 Earned Runs Against. His high level of play consistently makes the rounds on social media, displaying a brilliant blend of elite power and command.

With Skenes showing that he can burn past the best of them, that gives a sense of relief as he is set to face off against one of the best top of the orders in the league. The Astros offense have carried them to relevance after a sluggish start to the season, thrusting them into a tie for first at the top of the AL West standings. The Astros offense ranks above league average in Team Total Hits, RBIs, Total Runs Scored, and On Base Percentage.

As for the Pirates offense, they have been on the opposite side of the board in the same previously mentioned offensive metrics. That bodes well for the Astros defense as they roll out Jake Bloss who has mightily struggled in his three appearances so far this season. Bloss has struggled with keeping opposing runners out of scoring position, taking the mound with a WHIP of 1.629. Against a Pirates offense who ranks near dead last in On Base Percentage, expect a bounce back performance from Bloss.

Bet on Under 0.5 Run (-150) at FanDuel

Atlanta Braves vs. Milwaukee Brewers - Grant Holmes vs. Colin Rea (8:10 PM, EST)

Under 0.5 Run (-111) at FanDuel

After entering the year as one of the favorites to win the World Series, the Atlanta Braves are staring down a reality where they miss the playoffs entirely as the injuries and losses pile up. Their lack of offensive production has been the main culprit of their struggles, ranking near dead last in On Base Percentage.

While the Braves offense continues to severely underwhelm, their defense has been their lone consistent source of production as they enter the contest ranked above league average in Defensive Efficiency and top-3 in Team Total Pitching ERA. Rotational pitcher Grant Holmes has played a key role in their high marks on defense, taking the mound with an ERA of 2.70, a WHIP of 0.943, and a FIP of 2.12.

Like the Braves, the Brewers defense also ranks above league average in Defensive Efficiency and Team Total Pitching ERA. Their defense production bodes well for the sake of the NRFI as they will need to mask Colin Rea’s sporadic level of play. While Rea has minimized opposing scoring opportunities with an ERA of 3.60, he has flirted with danger as his WHIP creeps up to 1.209. Expect Rea to round back into form against a Braves offense who continues to underwhelm.

Bet on Under 0.5 Run (-111) at FanDuel

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