YRFI/NRFI MLB Picks, 9/27: Expect Early Runs at Fenway, Zeroes in S.F.
- Take a close look at our MLB bet offers below.
- Think about the possibility for an easy first in San Francisco and Detroit.
- Pay attention to changes related to weather and starting pitching shakeups.
- Read on for how to assess the first-inning situation in these games and then visit the BetUS Sportsbook to make some quality bets.
There are just a few pieces remaining for the postseason puzzle to be complete. Of course, every game is an opportunity for a first-inning scoring bet, and we’ve isolated three possibilities for you on Friday night.
Top 3 NRFI/YRFI Plays for 9/27
1. Cardinals vs Giants: Season Finale for Mikolas
One of the great things about betting online for a first-inning run (or a scoreless first) is it really doesn’t matter if the teams are in it or not. So we start our regular-season finale of the RIFI roundup with two teams who were eliminated a while ago. The game itself has little to offer, but to those looking at the MLB spreads it can mean so much.
Perhaps some in the San Francisco Giants clubhouse are aiming for a .500 season, which would require winning at least two of the final three games. If that’s the case they’ll be hoping for a solid outing from rookie Landen Roupp, who is making his fourth start after 19 games out of the bullpen.
Roupp is riding a 14-inning scoreless streak and has an ERA of 0.89 over his last 30⅓ innings. He’s clearly found something and could be a factor for the San Francisco rotation in 2025. The St. Louis Cardinals have been solid at the plate of late, but they’re still 28th in the majors in first-inning scoring percentage (21.38).
Miles Mikolas makes his final start of the year for St. Louis. It’s the fifth time in six years with the Cardinals that he’s made at least 32 starts, so durability is never a question with this one. Effectiveness has been, at least this year, but the 36-year-old is coming off a solid six-inning, one-run outing against Cleveland.
Mikolas has been a bit better on the road than at home, so-so in the first (4.35 ERA) and very good over the years in San Fran (2.55 ERA). The Giants are coming off a strong road trip, but they scored a total of three runs in their final four games of the last homestand they had. We give Mikolas a chance to start off on the right foot.
Bet on Cardinals vs Giants First Inning to Score – NO (-149)
2. White Sox vs Tigers: Crochet Tries to Tame Tigers
All the way back on Sept. 10, when the Tigers were still three games out of a wild-card spot, we recommended you take a shot at them making the postseason. If you listened to us then, you’re loving their incredible ride to a playoff spot that will become official with a win on Friday against the lowly Chicago White Sox, which fended off that record-breaking 121st loss three straight times against the Angels.
The White Sox avoid the single-season loss record another day after sweeping the Angels pic.twitter.com/KBamvVlFyz
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) September 26, 2024
In breaking with tradition, we’re urging you to put down an MLB bet on a team for which we don’t even know the starter yet. Whichever hurler Detroit throws out there – perhaps an opener like dominant rookie Tyler Holton – will get to face the Chicago White Sox. You know what that means so we won’t bore you too much with all their horrid offensive numbers.
On the other side sits Chicago’s star lefty Garrett Crochet. He was pushed back a day by manager Grady Sizemore just so he could give the Detroit Tigers a test. Sizemore wanted to give the division rivals the best he had, which is Crochet, even though the rookie probably will only go a few innings.
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Crochet has allowed one run on four hits in eight innings over his last two starts so he’s ending on a solid note. He allowed one run in six innings in his only outing against Detroit and has that otherworldly 45-to-2 strikeout to walk situation in the first inning this year.
Take the southpaw (and whomever the Tigers turn to) to put up some early zeroes.
Bet on White Sox vs Tigers First Inning to Score – NO (-156)
3. Rays vs Red Sox: AL East Also-Rans Wrapping up at Fenway
Boston has a chance to finish over .500, a small but somewhat satisfying accomplishment they can attain this weekend against the Tampa Bay Rays, which can do the same with a sweep.
The Boston Red Sox open it up with Nick Pivetta’s last start of the year. He has once again piled up the strikeouts (166 in 139 innings) while serving up plenty of home runs (28). Seven of those came in the first inning, where Pivetta owns a 5.76 ERA.
The right-hander served up three dingers and gave up four runs in only 4⅔ innings at Tampa Bay two turns ago. He allowed two more home runs in another start against the Rays earlier in the season, including a first-inning blast off the bat of Josh Lowe.
Tampa Bay turns to Taj Bradley for this series opener. He was effective in his previous start versus Toronto, but owns a 7.28 ERA over his last 10 outings. Bradley allowed seven runs in 12 innings in back-to-back starts vs Boston earlier in the year.
Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu, likely the top two batters in Boston’s lineup, are a combined 5 for 14 with four extra-base hits against Bradley, who has seen opponents slug .500 against him in the first inning this year.
Bet on Rays vs Red Sox First Inning to Score – YES (-103)
Take A Look At These Other MLB Special Articles
- Royals vs Orioles Playoff Betting Odds, Picks 10/1.
- Bet Astros vs Tigers in AL Wild Card Series 10/1.
Questions of the Day
Any other notable MLB news items to discuss?
How about the fact that the Minnesota Twins, losers of 15 of their last 22 games and just about cooked completely in the AL wild card race, suffered a miserable defeat to the 100-loss Marlins on Thursday in a game that featured this debacle. The losing pitcher for the hometown Twins? None other than Steve Blewett. Say his last name out loud, have a laugh (or a cry, if you’re a Minnesota fan), and pour one out for the 2024 Twins.
Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.