Some people like to sweat out a bet for 9 hard innings – others like immediate satisfaction. Count us as being in the latter, which is why we like to get down with MLB NRFI and YRFI picks. And we’ve decided to pass that knowledge on to you with our NRFI bets for August 4. Go here for MLB World Series odds.
Of course, there are plenty out there taking blind guesses at this stuff. It’s easy to pick the best-hitting team or look at what happened in the last game. However, we spent the time pouring through the analytics to make sure that we give you the best odds to stay in the green on these NRFI and YRFI props for August 4. Come check out what we have cooked up for this slate of games.
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MLB NRFI and YRFI Picks – August 4
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
First Pitch – 1:35 pm EST
PNC Park – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Broadcast – MLB TV
The Diamonbacks are one of the very best offenses in the league this year. They rank 2nd in runs in the first inning and 2nd in runs overall, but I still like the NRFI today for their game in Pittsburgh. The main reason is that it’s Paul Skenes day. The 22-year old rookie continues to be the talk of the league, and for good reason. He’s allowed just three earned runs in his last three starts (21.1 innings) – that comes out to a 1.27 ERA in that span. Add in the 25 strikeouts that he accumulated in that span and he should be good for three outs on Sunday.
In the bottom half of the inning, Ryne Nelson may not be the same power pitcher Skenes is, but the Pirates offense isn’t much to look at either. They are in the bottom third of the league in run scoring and are even a touch work when it comes to scoring in the first inning – they rank 27th in MLB in that category. Also, while Nelson may not be taking home any hardware at the end of the season, he has been much better lately. He’s only allowed five runs in his last three starts (18.2 innings) and has struck out 20 in the process.
NRFI/YRFI Bet for August 4: No (-125)
Baltimore Orioles vs. Cleveland Guardians
First Pitch – 1:40 pm EST
Progressive Field – Cleveland, Ohio
Broadcast – MLB TV
Maybe I’m playing with fire looking at these potent offenses, but I like the NRFI here as well. Baltimore ranks 3rd in the league in scoring runs, but are a bit below average in this series. Plus, they have scored worse in the first inning all year – where they rank 9th in the majors.
Their task doesn’t get easier with Gavin Williams on the bump. The rookie’s 3.72 ERA may not look great, but a lot of that was due to his rough debut. If you take that hiccup out of the stat line, he has a 2.52 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 25 innings. Not only is that solid, but he also hasn’t allowed a first inning run since that first start.
Closing out this NRFI is Corbin Burnes who has been sensational this whole season. His Cy Young odds sit only behind Tarik Skubal in the American League. His 2.47 ERA and 128 strikouts should be enough to get at least three outs unscathed on Sunday.
NRFI/YRFI Bet for August 4: No (-125)
If you’d like even more info to help make your NRFI picks for August 4, check out the MLB Gambling Podcast. They’re dropping episodes five days a week to make you the smartest guy/gal at the bar with their MLB picks today.