MLB NRFI/YRFI Best Bets Today: Expert Picks & Predictions for Friday’s Slate (6/2/23)

After a quiet slate of games on Thursday, there will be plenty of baseball on Friday. All 30 teams will be in action, with Zack Wheeler, Corbin Burnes, Luis Castillo, Shohei Ohtani, and Framber Valdez headlining a night of aces. That means we could get more than a few no run first inning opportunities. Let’s take a look at which NRFI and YRFI bets to make on Friday.

MLB Best NRFI/YRFI Bets for June 2

Here’s a look at the best NRFI and YRFI bets for Friday’s action.

Rockies vs. Royals NRFI (-102)

This is a test of a very stoppable force against a very movable object. Jordan Lyles has been a total disaster for the Royals this season with an ERA over seven, but the Rockies have averaged only 3.61 runs on the road. Colorado’s offense is one of the worst in baseball, masked by the hitter-friendly environment at home, and Lyles is at least a veteran who can escape the first inning fairly unscathed.

The Royals have been notably much better at home than on the road when it comes to run scoring. Kansas City’s lineup is still one without much to get excited about. Journeyman Chase Anderson has actually looked solid in his brief time with the Rockies, and a matchup with a bad Royals offense at Kauffman Stadium is a favorable one.

Both pitchers come with uncertainty, but the value of NRFI at -102 makes it easily worth taking that chance.

Blue Jays vs. Mets YRFI (+100)

These pitchers feel too volatile for the YRFI line to be +100. Justin Verlander has been completely hit-or-miss this season, with a couple terrific outings but some real clunkers. He allowed six earned runs in Colorado last weekend and was hit around against the Rays. Both were tough matchups, considering the thin air of Coors Field, but the Blue Jays are as well.

Toronto scored three runs in the first inning against Freddy Peralta on Thursday, and Bo Bichette’s excellence as arguably the AL’s best contact hitter is one major reason why the Blue Jays are such a threat to score quickly. George Springer, batting .364 over his last nine games, is another major obstacle for pitchers at the top of the lineup.

Chris Bassitt, on the other hand, has responded to three consecutive scoreless starts by allowing 13 runs over his last two outings. It’s been tough to gauge which version of Verlander and Bassitt will show up this season, and the uncertainty is enough to make a first inning run likely enough to bet it at +100.

Mariners vs. Rangers NRFI (-132)

Many potential pitchers’ duels don’t come to fruition, but this matchup has a chance to be a great one. Luis Castillo appears to have rediscovered something in back-to-back scoreless starts, combining for 18 strikeouts over the two outings.

On the other side, Jon Gray hasn’t allowed more than one earned run in a start in exactly one month. Like Nathan Eovaldi and Martin Perez, he’s found something in Texas and has morphed into a potential all-star now that he’s finally staying healthy. Julio Rodriguez’s recent hot hitting is a bit of a red flag here, but Gray should be able to start strong against a disappointing Mariners offense.

The bigger risk is Castillo, who has looked dominant of late but is going up against a terrific top of the lineup for the Rangers. Even if Marcus Semien or Corey Seager gets on base, Castillo’s swing-and-miss ability is good enough to work around some trouble. Even at -132, it’s hard to pass on a NRFI bet for two scorching hot pitchers.