Best NRFI Bets Today, April 10

Cincinnati Reds vs Atlanta Braves – Graham Ashcraft (R) vs Bryce Elder (R)

Over 1.5 (-130 at DraftKings SportsBooks)

This Monday starts a new series as the Cincinnati Reds (4-4) go on the road to take on the Atlanta Braves (6-4). The Braves were red hot to start the season at 6-1, but have since lost their last three games against the San Diego Padres. The Reds’ 6-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday shed a three-game losing streak.

This matchup should be one of the games to place an NRFI bet on as the Braves and the Reds are two of the top-scoring teams in the MLB in scoring runs in the first inning. They are among the five teams in the MLB to average one run or more in the first inning before Sunday’s games. The Braves are averaging 0.9 runs per game in the first inning while the Reds are averaging 1.13 runs per game.

Atlanta is second in the NL in runs accounted for (44) before Sunday’s game thanks to the dominating play of right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (10 runs), first baseman Matt Olson (8 runs), and shortstop Orlando Arcia (7 runs). Cincinnati is not a high-caliber scoring team as they have scored 35 runs through eight games. The Reds are a team that does not finish strong, but they start fast.

Miami Marlins vs Philadelphia Phillies – Sandy Alcantara (R) vs Matt Straham (L)

Under -1.5 (+145 at DraftKings Sportsbook)

Just as the Reds and the Braves feature two of the top scores through the first inning in the MLB, the Marlins vs Phillies are set to feature two of the lowest earlier-scoring teams in the MLB.

The Philadelphia Phillies (3-6) are trying to gather what little hope they can early this season. The Phillies started the season 1-5, but winning two of the three games against the Reds helped significantly. The Miami Marlins (4-6) are looking forward to not playing against the New York Mets after facing them seven times already this season.

The Phillies are averaging 0.22 runs in the first inning this season as they are 14th in the NL in runs accounted for with 30. They are a team that possesses poor timing at the batting plate by striking out 92 times this season, 13th in the NL. Miami was among the first teams in the MLB to account for runs in the first inning before Sunday’s 7-2 win over the Mets when the Marlins scored three in the first. Miami ranks in the bottom half of the league in almost major offensive categories, including runs (15th in NL – 27 runs), hits (12th – 73), strikeouts (14th – 95), batting average (14th - .230) and on-base percentage (15th - .292).

If there will be a game that will be limited scoring, it will be between the Marlins and Phillies.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Francisco Giants – Julio Urias (L) vs Logan Webb (R)

Over 1.5 runs (-125 at DraftKings SportsBook)

This Monday is the start of another anticipated series between two high-caliber teams in the NL West. Both the Los Angeles Dodgers (5-5) and the San Francisco Giants (4-5) are starting the season as efficiently as they want to be as they fluctuate problems offensively and defensively.

The Dodgers were 3-5 in their eight games against the Arizona Diamondbacks and coming off three consecutive losses. They have been outscored 29-17 in those three losses to the Diamondbacks. The Giants were 3-3 to start the season but lost two of the last three games in the home series versus the Kansas City Royals. They scored more than three runs once in the series but maxed at five.

Before the tough series against Kansas City, San Francisco averaged 6.3 runs per game. In their first three wins of the season, the Giants have scored seven runs, 12 runs, and 16 runs. They are hoping to pick up more of a consistent batting rhythm in the series against the Dodgers.

Five players for the Dodgers have accounted for seven or more runs this season. First baseman Freddie Freeman (nine runs and 16 hits) and catcher Will Smith (eight runs and 11 RBIs) are both playing at All-Star levels this season. The Dodgers are first in the MLB in scoring runs in the first inning by averaging 1.4 runs. This reason alone should be enough of a reason to believe more than two runs will be scored. 

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