MLB NRFI & YRFI Picks, Predictions for Saturday, August 17

MLB NRFI & YRFI Picks, Predictions for Saturday, August 17 article feature image

We cashed the only full-unit play yesterday, while losing the half-unit sprinkle, just barely. That still worked out for a half-unit of profit, my third winning day in a row.

I have two more MLB NRFI and YRFI picks and predictions for Saturday, August 17.

MLB NRFI & YRFI Picks for Saturday

Billy Ward's Phillies vs Nationals NRFI/YRFI Bet

Nationals Logo
Saturday, August 17
6:05 p.m. ET
MLB.TV
Phillies Logo
Phillies First Inning ML +1225 (Play to +200)
Caesars Logo

Starting Pitchers: Mackenzie Gore vs. Cristopher Sanchez

We're 1-1 on this bet so far in this series, but that's a solid record considering the line has stayed in the +200 area.

The logic is exactly the same, as the best team in baseball against lefties (Philly) is taking on a mediocre (at best) southpaw from the Nationals. This time it's Mackenzie Gore, who has a 4.18 xFIP his first time through the order.

The traditional YRFI at -115 at Caesars is also a solid play, but Sanchez has fairly good numbers the first time through the order and the Nationals are on the wrong side of their platoon splits.

WeatherEdge also has a huge boost to offense in this game, which makes this bet (and other variations of it) even more appealing. If you're taking the moneyline be sure to make that a half-unit bet, while the full YRFI is also a good option.

Billy Ward's Guardians vs Brewers NRFI/YRFI Bet

Guardians Logo
Saturday, August 17
7:15 p.m. ET
Apple TV+
Brewers Logo
NRFI -120 (Play to -140)
BetMGM Logo

Starting Pitchers: Freddy Peralta vs. Tanner Bibee

We're getting an off line at BetMGM which makes this pick very interesting there, though I'd take the juicier lines at other books as well.

The reason for the discrepancy in the line is that the game total has moved to 8.0 runs at BetMGM instead of the 7.5s elsewhere. Even if I use the eight-run total in my model, this one still projects fairly strongly to the NRFI though.

Both pitchers have solid splits the first time through the order, while neither lineup is particularly dangerous at the top (particularly after Christian Yelich got hurt.)

Keep an eye on the total in this game if you're betting later — if it jumps all the way to 8.5, I'd probably shy away from the NRFI, but we've got some wiggle room between 7.5 and 8.0.

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About the Author
Billy Ward has been passionate about fantasy sports since the 1990s and pursued a career as an MMA fighter, turning pro at 21 before returning to college to finish his degree. He has notable achievements in fantasy sports and DFS, including qualifying for the DraftKings UFC DFS world championship and five-figure wins in NFL DFS and best ball. Now a member of the Action Network’s predictive analytics team, Billy specializes in NFL, MLB, and combat sports, managing DFS player projection models and contributing to podcasts and live betting shows.

Follow Billy Ward @Psychoward586 on Twitter/X.

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