2 NRFI and YRFI Bets to Play Today 09/02

· Sep 02 - 5 minutes read

Mariners make last trip to Oakland
Streaking Cubs host Pirates
Read on for how to approach these games on the NRFI/YRFI front with your MLB predictions.

We have a relatively light night in the majors on Monday, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some quality first-inning MLB betting options. In fact, we’ve isolated two for you to take to the BetUS Sportsbook and we just know you’ll be pleased with the outcome.

2 NRFI and YRFI Bets to Play Today 09/02 — Osvaldo Bido #45 of the Oakland Athletics-Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images/AFP

Join BetUS and bet now! Get a $450 MLB Bonus Available for $200 Bets on your first time deposit!

2 YRFI/NRFI Picks for Sept. 2

1. Mariners vs Athletics: Bet on Bido, Gilbert by the Bay

It’s not exactly must-win territory for Seattle, but that margin for error is getting pretty small as the club heads to Oakland on Monday six games out in the AL West with 25 to play.

The Seattle Mariners managed just five hits against a 20-year-old making his MLB debut and three relievers in a loss at Anaheim on Sunday. They’ll try to bounce back at the plate against Osvaldo Bido, who gets the nod in the series opener for the Athletics.

Caden Dana talks postgame after getting his 1st MLB WIN‼️

🔊 @CarrlynBathe @Angels | #RepTheHalo pic.twitter.com/h9UcMmkKBe

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) September 1, 2024

Bido will be making his eighth straight start after coming out of the bullpen in June and July. He just went 3-1 with a 1.55 ERA in five August outings, so the 28-year-old is in a really great groove. Bido’s allowed one run in 11 frames over his last two home starts, yielding just three hits in the process, and he owns a 2.82 ERA in the first inning of games.

The Dominican Republic native has never faced Seattle, which is making its final trip to the Oakland Coliseum. The Mariners have been a strong first-inning offense whenever they get away from pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park, but they scored only eight runs in a previous three-game set here.

Seattle has a good guy on the mound to get the series started off on the right foot. Logan Gilbert, who struck out 10 in six scoreless against Tampa Bay his last time out, gets the nod. The All-Star owns a 2.67 ERA in the first inning and stifled the A’s in their one encounter earlier this season in the same park, so he should be primed and ready to deliver results right away.

Oakland is 24th in the majors in runs per first inning at home (0.41) and it rarely produces much vs Gilbert, who owns a 0.926 WHIP in his 10 career starts vs the A’s.

Check out what our panel of MLB betting experts thinks about this game and others, but consider a scoreless first when making your bet online.

Bet on Mariners-Athletics First Inning to Score – NO

2. Pirates vs Cubs: Rookie Jones a Tgh Bet vs Red-Hot Cubs

The hottest team in baseball right now is Chicago, which has claimed six wins in a row to climb into the wild card picture in the National League. The Chicago Cubs have averaged 11.2 runs during the surge, including an astounding 41 in a three-game sweep at Pittsburgh just last week.

That’s the offensive machine that rookie Jared Jones will have to contend with as he makes his second start – both against Chicago – since coming off the injured list last week. The first one didn’t go all that great, as the Cubs got to the 23-year-old right-hander for five runs on five hits and three walks in just four innings.

Jones has some pretty solid first-inning numbers (3.18 ERA, .213 average against), but a lot of it was early on when hitters were adjusting to what he had going on. He sported a 2.68 ERA eight starts into the year and has a 5.06 mark (plus an IL stint) ever since.

Chicago actually hasn’t scored many first-inning runs during the win streak, but who cares? With the eye-popping numbers the club has put up at the dish in the last week (.333 average, 30 walks in six games) it’s hard to go against them in any frame, much less against a rookie who has an uncertain stretch run ahead of him.

Jameson Taillon is on the bump for the Cubs. He’s a much safer bet at BetUS Sportsbook than Jones with a 1.96 first-inning ERA and an opponent in Pittsburgh that scores in the first inning just once every five times or so.

However, Taillon has been in a bit of a mini-rut lately, allowing 17 runs in 22⅔ innings over his last four starts. The ex-Pirate has been knocked around by his former club this year with seven runs given up in 11⅓ frames overall.

Bet on Pirates-Cubs First Inning to Score – YES

Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.

Take A Look At These Other 2 MLB Special Articles

Questions Of The Day

What other MLB picks are worth making on Monday?

If you can squeeze in a matinee MLB pick, take the Royals to stop the bleeding at home. They’ll be desperate to end a five-game slide against division leader Cleveland, the same team they took three of four from last week. And there’s a veteran in Michael Wacha on the mound, not a superstar but the kind of guy you want out there when a dose of calm is needed.