MLB Odds & NRFI Picks: Alex Faedo, Corey Kluber Give Tigers vs. Rays First-Inning Betting Value (Monday, May 16)
Duane Burleson/Getty Images. Pictured: Alex Faedo
Shayne Trail breaks down his favorite NRFI/YRFI bet of the day below, but you can follow all of his bets in the Action Network app.
Tigers vs. Rays — No Runs First Inning (-135)
| Matchup | Tigers (Faedo) vs. Rays (Kluber) |
| First Pitch | 6:40 p.m. ET |
| Best Line | DraftKings |
Alex Faedo, the Tigers' No. 16 prospect, is 2-0 to the NRFI in his rookie campaign. Faedo had been dominating the minors, displaying why he was a first-round selection. In four games across 15 innings, Faedo had 20 strikeouts and only allowed three earned runs.
A Tampa native, Faedo gets to return home for his first road start against the Rays. He hasn’t faced any of these hitters thus far, leaving the unfamiliarity to his advantage.
The Rays' bats are among the coldest in baseball. Since April 30, they rank 25th offensively in the first inning, going 9-for-54.
Just over the last seven days, the majority of the Rays hitters are hitting sub .200
- Wander Franco: .167
- Randy Arozarena: .190
- Yandy Diaz: .133
- Ji-Man Choi: .067
- Kevin Keiermaier: .143
The most notable slump is Ji Man Choi, who is 1-for-15 and is projected to bat fourth today.
On the other side, we have veteran pitcher Corey Kluber, who has only issued one first-inning walk in 27 batters faced this season. Since the 2020 season across two teams, Kluber is 20-3 to the NRFI. In this time span, he is also 11-1 to the NRFI at home.
In his long career, Kluber has gone 8-2 to the NRFI against the Tigers, dating back to 2017.
His most favorable matchups today will be:
- Jeimer Candelario: 2-for-17
- Robbie Grossman: 1-for-12
- Jonathan Schoop: 4-for-17
- Harold Castro 0-for-3
The Tigers rank just 27th offensively in the first inning on the road this season, hitting just .146. And since April 22, the Tigers are just 21st, with seven hits in 39 at-bats.
The Tigers' No. 2 hitter and newest pickup, Javier Baez, has been their biggest letdown, and his the last seven days he hasn’t been seeing the ball well, hitting .167.
Look for these Detroit bats to stay true to their 2022 theme of being among the worst first inning hitting teams and the Rays bats to remain cold. Take the NRFI between the Tigers and Rays.
As always, six outs to glory…
Get all of Shayne Trail's NRFI/YRFI bets instantly in The Action Network app.
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