Best NRFI Bets Today, July 18

Milwaukee Brewers vs Philadelphia Phillies - Julio Teheran (R) vs Aaron Nola (R)

Under 0.5 (+106 at FanDuel Sportsbook)

The first selection on our NRFI card for Tuesday in Major League Baseball is the contest between the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies. Both teams come into this game on a hot streak, with the Brewers winning four straight games and the Phillies winning three in a row. But something has to give in this matchup, and we should see a scoreless first inning as both teams figure that out.

Both teams are sending solid starters to the mound for this matchup, as Julio Teheran faces off with Aaron Nola. Teheran enters this game with a 2-3 record and a 3.64 ERA, while Nola enters with a record of 8-6 and a 4.39 ERA. Both pitchers have proven themselves more than capable of keeping opponents at bay this season, and they will do just that again here to help us cash this NRFI wager.

Also helpful for first-inning under bettors here is the fact that the Brewers are so inept offensively this year. They rank 25th in the league in runs scored and are one of just eight teams that has failed to score 400 runs this season as a club. Look for those woes to continue and for this game to go into the second inning with zeroes on the board on both sides.

Cleveland Guardians vs Pittsburgh Pirates - Logan Allen (L) vs Mitch Keller (R)

Under 0.5 (-115 at DraftKings Sportsbook)

Both the Cleveland Guardians and the Pittsburgh Pirates are among the worst offensive teams in baseball this season. When you combine that with the presence of a Cy Young-caliber pitcher taking the hill on Tuesday night, you could end up with a scoreless first inning. That is our expectation when Cleveland and Pittsburgh tangle at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Tuesday evening.

Mitch Keller of the Pirates is that Cy Young-level pitcher, as he looks to help the home team pick up a much-needed win. Keller enters this game at 9-4 on the season, with an ERA of 3.31. Both Keller and Guardians starter Logan Allen (3-2, 3.47 ERA) are pitching well enough to expect this game to go to the second inning in a scoreless fashion.

But it is the inept offenses of both of these teams that really inspire confidence in the NRFI betting market in this contest. Both of these teams are in the bottom five in baseball in runs scored on the year. They are also both in the bottom three in home runs on the year, so we should not expect any long balls to ruin our NRFI bet in this first inning of action between Central division teams.

Tampa Bay Rays vs Texas Rangers - Taj Bradley (R) vs Nathan Eovaldi (R)

Under 0.5 (-106 at FanDuel Sportsbook)

Our final MLB NRFI wager for Tuesday night comes from deep in the heart of Texas, where the top two teams in the American League will face off. On Monday night, the Texas Rangers won a low-scoring game over the Tampa Bay Rays. Here, another low-scoring affair should be expected, as the Rays and Rangers should start off the second game of their series with a scoreless first inning.

A big reason to expect this game to be scoreless through one inning is the pitching of Nathan Eovaldi for the Rangers. Eovaldi is 10-3 this season with a 2.83 ERA, as he is hanging around in the AL Cy Young conversation despite some elite pitching from the likes of Gerrit Cole and Framber Valdez. Eovaldi has given up just eight home runs in 117.2 innings of work this season, and he should use his control to keep Tampa off the board in this game.

Along with the quality pitching expected in this game, there is also the fact that both of these teams are playing for home-field advantage to consider. Wins in this series could really help these teams in their quest for home-field in the playoffs over one another. As a result, they could come into this kind of game with a more cautious mindset than usual, though that remains to be seen.