MLB picks Saturday 8/19: YRFI & NRFI best bets today: When in doubt, pick Atlanta

Another Saturday in the MLB means another jam-packed slate with action from 1:05 pm ET through midnight including 3 games brought forward from Sunday’s slate to create doubleheaders today. The playoff picture took another new form after Friday’s games and will again after today’s action. This is a great time of year for baseball fans as intensity ramps up as teams compete for playoff spots down the stretch. This will be a great viewing day for enjoying this exciting slate with plenty of contenders vying for wins.

You can also read our MLB predictions for picks on every Game, but for now, let’s dive into our YRFI/NRFI best bets.

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Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees: NRFI (-115)

The under trend of Boston-New York head-to-head games as well as the pitching matchup give this matchup NRFI appeal. The under has hit in 7 of Boston’s last 9 games and in 5 of the 7 head-to-head matchups this season. The total has also hit in 4 of the last 5 between the teams in Yankee Stadium. Low totals have been more common when the Red Sox and Yankees face each other and that being the case, look for fresh pitchers to get through the first inning unscathed.

Gerrit Cole will get the start for the Yankees, which makes this pick feel good already. He just about always does his part in bringing a low total and breezing through the lineup at least the first time through. Boston starter Kutter Crawford has not exactly been lights out but he doesn’t have to be in order to get through this Yankees lineup. New York is struggling offensively and Crawford should be able to get through the first few innings without much damage.

San Francisco Giants vs Atlanta Braves: YRFI (-140)

Any Game the Braves are in is a good opportunity for offensive props to cash. They have a gauntlet of a lineup that leads the MLB in batting average, home runs, RBIs, runs scored, OBP, slugging and OPS. Atlanta has a good chance to put up runs in the first inning against any pitcher in the league. Logan Webb is starting for the Giants and he has been fantastic lately. This is not a knock on him but rather taking a chance on an incredibly good lineup.

If Webb does end up blanking the Braves in the first inning, this pick could have already hit in the top of the first when the Giants’ lineup faces Braves starter Yonny Chirinos. There is no way around it, Chirinos has struggled this year. In 29 outings which include 8 starts, Chirinos has a 5.22 ERA. He has allowed 22 runs in his last 23 innings pitched spanning his past 4 outings. Both the Braves’ pitching and offense gives this YRFI appeal.

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