After a fantastic Home Run Derby and All-Star Game followed by a few days break, regular-season baseball is back. With several days of rest, teams are able to reset their rotations, which makes for some intriguing pitching matchups today, Friday, July 19.
We have great pitchers like Jack Flaherty, Corbin Burnes, Nathan Eovaldi taking the mound, and we have our eyes on a few NRFIs — No Run First Inning wagers.
With NRFIs, you are betting that neither team will score a run in the first inning. NRFIs have become one of the most popular bets in baseball.
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MLB NRFI odds & picks for Friday, July 19
Let's take at some MLB games on today's schedule and offer our favorite NRFI picks found at the best U.S. sportsbooks.
Detroit Tigers vs. Toronto Blue Jays NRFI odds -130 (Caesars)
Jack Flaherty toes the rubber for Detroit today, and he wants to build on one of the best first halves he has had as a pro. He has a 3.13 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP and 119 strikeouts. Flaherty's velocity has been up this season, and he was one of the best starters in baseball coming into the All-Star break. Flaherty has dominated the opposition early in games. He has gone nine consecutive games without allowing a first-inning run.
The other starter in this game, Chris Bassitt, is putting together a strong season for Toronto. He has a 3.52 ERA and 100 strikeouts, compiling an 8-7 record and ranking in the top 50 in the MLB for each. He has kept opponents down early in games lately, allowing only two first-inning runs in his last 13 starts.
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St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves NRFI odds -130 (BetMGM)
The rookie Spencer Schwellenbach gets the first start after the break for Atlanta, and while he has taken some lumps after flying through the last few levels of the minors, has pitched his best over his last several starts. One thing has been consistent for him, though, and that has been starting games strong. He has made eight starts in the majors and has yet to allow a first-inning run.
The Cardinals counter with one of the best starters in baseball over the past few seasons. Sonny Gray will get the baseball, and that's good for St. Louis because he has been excellent with a 3.34 ERA this season. Over his last seven starts, he has only allowed a first-inning run once.
NRFI pick of the day: Baltimore Orioles vs. Texas Rangers: -130 odds at BetRivers
Coming off a strong start in the All-Star Game, Corbin Burnes looks to continue one of the best seasons of his career with the start today. Burnes has a 9-4 record with a 2.43 ERA, 110 strikeouts and a 1.04 WHIP. He ranks in the top 30 in baseball for each category and has been especially strong early in outings. Burnes has a 13-game streak without allowing a first-inning run, and actually, 14 if we count his All-Star Game start.
He doesn't have an easy matchup against Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi, who is one of only a few pitchers with similar stats to Burnes. Despite missing some time early in the season, Eovaldi has been fantastic in his 16 outings. He has a 6-3 record with a 2.97 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. Eovaldi has kept opponents off the board early, too, allowing only one first-inning run in his last five starts.
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