Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies Best Bet: Can Tommy Henry, Dinelson Lamet Dominate Early?
Baseball betting expert Krabs is back with another play for the Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies game. Can Tommy Henry and Dinelson Lamet dominate early? Read on to find out.
Krabs - May 31, 2023, 3:22 PM EDT
5 minArizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies Best Bet: Can Tommy Henry, Dinelson Lamet Dominate Early?
I don’t often bet on NRFIs, more formally called “No run in the first inning,” but I have a good read on one tonight that’s plus money. These bets aren’t meant to be “max bet” or heavily bet… NRFIs are more like a side bet at the blackjack table. If you’re up some units this week, or looking for a quick sweat, feel free to tail this late-night play.
Diamondbacks vs. Rockies Start Time and Where to Watch
Date: Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Start Time: 9:40 pm ET
Where to Watch: MLB.TV
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies Prediction
If an NRFI is plus money on the books, there’s typically at least one subpar pitcher on the mound. Tonight, that pitcher would be Dinelson Lamet. The 30-year-old Dominican has come out of the Rockies bullpen after a failed five-year stint with the San Diego Padres. Tonight, Lamet will be making his first start in nearly two years. We will be asking him to do the impossible: battle through the nerves, and pitch a scoreless first inning. There’s a reason this bet is plus money on the books…
Lamet has made it very clear to the media that he prefers a starting role, but he will do whatever the team asks of him. The veteran has struggled out of the bullpen for Colorado. Lamet carries a 7.04 ERA over the previous two seasons as a reliever, and it’s not surprising he would prefer returning to the role he had in San Diego back in 2020 when he finished fourth in the Cy Young voting. He won’t have an easy assignment tonight as he faces the Arizona Diamondbacks, but he does have good numbers against their projected lineup.
If Arizona rolls out Ketel Marte, Emmanuel Rivera, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. at the top of the lineup, Lamet will have great success in a limited sample against the trio. Gurriel hasn’t faced the righty, and Marte/Rivera combine for three hits in sixteen at-bats. Lamet might have a better chance tonight than the public expects.
I do expect Tommy Henry to give up some runs in this game, but the young lefty won’t have to face Charlie Blackmon in the first inning. Blackmon was placed on the bereavement list, presenting an unfortunate advantage for Henry. Some other good news: the Rockies don’t score in the first inning. Colorado hasn’t scored a run in five of their previous six games. They clearly haven’t been seeing the ball well early in games, which is another reason to back the NRFI tonight.
If you’re going to take an NRFI, it should be at plus money. I’m comfortable backing a good story with Lamet pitching in what could be his final shot to prove his worth as a starting pitcher in this league, and I think he’s undervalued in this spot. Tommy Henry has been solid this month, allowing two or fewer runs in four of his five appearances. Let’s just hope those runs don’t come early in Arizona tonight.
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies Best Bet
Colorado Rockies/Arizona Diamondbacks NRFI +110 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds for this pick
MLB Odds
