MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Odds & Picks: Monday (4/21)
Monday’s MLB slate is a slightly smaller one with eight games on the schedule. Even so, there are plenty of ways to go for our top No Runs First Inning (NRFI) picks and predictions.
If you’re unfamiliar with NRFI bets, they’re pretty simple. We’re betting on whether or not any runs will be scored in the first inning by either team. Both starting pitchers must throw a scoreless first inning for the bet to cash.
Let’s focus on the Brewers vs. Giants and the Cardinals vs. Braves matchups. Without further ado, let’s get to my favorite NRFI plays for Monday, April 21st.
- MLB NRFI/YRFI Cheat Sheet - Team View
- MLB NRFI/YRFI Cheat Sheet - Matchup View
- MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
- MLB Consensus Odds
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Monday’s Best MLB No Runs First Innings (NRFI) Picks
(All odds courtesy DraftKings Sportsbook)
Milwaukee Brewers at San Francisco Giants
Starting Pitchers: Quinn Priester vs. Robbie Ray
Our first NRFI pick takes us to the late-night matchup between the San Francisco Giants and Milwaukee Brewers. Let's bank on both starting pitchers to combine for a scoreless opening frame in the pitcher-friendly Oracle Park.
Giants starter Robbie Ray brings in an excellent NRFI track record. He's thrown a scoreless first inning in three of four starts so far this year, with just a .143 batting average allowed in the frame. In 2022, Ray boasted a 24-8 NRFI record (75%) in his last full healthy season. He also had a 23-9 NRFI mark in 2021 (71.9%).
Meanwhile, Milwaukee has arguably the worst first-inning offense in the league. The Brewers had a .197 wOBA (30th), .149 batting average (30th) and 29.5% strikeout rate (27th) in the first inning before Sunday's game. They plated four runs in the opening frame yesterday, but had scored only four first-inning runs over their previous 21 games.
Ray can take care of this lineup based on his early-start success noted above. He also tallied a 3-1 NRFI record at home last year after returning from injury to the San Fran rotation.
On the other side, Brewers starter Quinn Priester has the upside to hold the Giants scoreless as well. The right-hander has just a 1-1 NRFI record through two starts this season. Last year, though, Priester threw a scoreless first inning in six out of seven starts.
Notably, he'll face a San Francisco offense that's struggled at home in the first inning this season. The Giants have scored only one run in the first inning across six home games so far. They're also batting .150 with a .240 wOBA at home in the opening frame (both 28th in MLB).
Pick: NRFI (-130)
St. Louis Cardinals at Atlanta Braves
Starting Pitchers: Erick Fedde vs. Spencer Schwellenbach
Today’s second NRFI pick focuses on a National League battle between the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals. This starting pitching matchup and a pair of underperforming first-inning offenses point squarely to the NRFI. Let's break it down.
Cardinals starter Erick Fedde posted an impressive 25-6 NRFI record last year (80.6%) with a 1.74 ERA and .229 batting average allowed in the first inning. This season, he's held opponents scoreless in the opening frame in three out of four starts so far. Fedde doesn't exactly profile as a shutdown dominant pitcher, but that first inning success is hard to ignore.
Fedde will face a Braves offense with some underwhelming first-inning numbers. Atlanta is hitting just .192 in the opening frame (26th in MLB) with a .290 wOBA (25th) and 33.7% strikeout rate (30th). The Braves are also hitting only .180 against right-handers in the first inning (29th in MLB).
Meanwhile, Atlanta starter Spencer Schwellenbach is one of the most exciting young arms in the sport. The righty has a 2.55 ERA and 0.85 WHIP through four starts. After allowing six runs in Toronto last time out, Schwellenbach should be motivated to bounce back and post a scoreless first inning at home here.
Schwellenbach has held opponents scoreless in the first inning in all four starts thus far. Last year, he boasted an elite 19-2 NRFI record with a 1.29 ERA and .127 batting average allowed in the opening frame. The rising star has some electric stuff, and it's proven to keep offenses in check early on.
Today's matchup is a favorable one for Schwellenbach. The Cardinals have scored only four runs in the first inning all season (22 games). The offense has a .178 batting average (27th), .247 wOBA (28th) and .068 ISO (29th) in the first inning so far. The Cards have also struggled to score runs overall on the road this year.
Pick: NRFI (-115)