Shayne Trail breaks down his favorite NRFI/YRFI bets of the day below, but you can follow all of his bets in the Action Network app.
| Matchup | Merrill Kelly vs. Josiah Gray |
| First Pitch | 1:05 p.m. ET |
Today, we travel to Nationals Park where we expect to find value in the NRFI (No Runs First Inning) market between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Washington Nationals.
Taking the mound first for the Nationals is Josiah Gray. While Gray had a mediocre NRFI record last season, posting a 17-11 record, he has shown significant improvement this season with an impressive 10-2 NRFI record.
One of the key factors contributing to his success is his performance when facing batters the first time through the order. Gray has allowed only 20 hits in 96 at-bats, resulting in a respectable average of .208. Notably, he has been particularly effective against opposing teams' leadoff hitters, surrendering just a .188 average with six hits in 32 at-bats.
It's worth mentioning that Gray has had success against some of the Diamondbacks hitters in the past, holding Ketel Marte (0-4), Pavin Smith (1-3), Corbin Carroll (1-3), Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (1-3), and Josh Rojas (0-3) in check. It's important to note that Diamondbacks leadoff hitter Pavin Smith has been struggling recently, with only an .095 average in his last seven days and just two hits in his last 21 at-bats.
Opposing Gray in the NRFI battle is Diamondbacks veteran Merrill Kelly. Kelly has been nothing short of phenomenal this season, boasting an impressive 10-2 NRFI record, bringing his total to an outstanding 33-12 since 2022. Kelly's road split is also worth noting, as he has accumulated a stellar 17-4 record since 2022.
When facing batters the first time through the order, Kelly has held his own, allowing only a .182 average. Furthermore, he has been particularly effective against leadoff hitters this season, limiting them to a paltry .094 average with just three hits in 32 at-bats. Kelly has also found success against Nationals hitters in the past, containing CJ Abrams (1-6), Corey Dickerson (2-9), Joey Meneses (0-3), Keibert Ruiz (2-6), and Dominic Smith (1-8) to limited success.
This NRFI matchup offers great value, currently priced at -113 on FanDuel Sportsbook.
As always, six outs to glory…
