It's the first full day of baseball in 2026, and if you're looking to get in on the action, then you've come to the right place. Below, I've narrowed in on three MLB no runs first inning (NRFI) picks for today's 15-game slate. Let's dive right into these three quick-hitting NRFI bets for Saturday.
Get instant alerts when a line reaches your target via the BettingPros App >>
Saturday’s Best MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Colorado Rockies (+153) vs. Miami Marlins (-186) | O/U 7.5 (-105/-115)
Starting Pitchers: Michael Lorenzen vs. Eury Perez
The Marlins (1-0) leaned on a Sandy Alcantara gem (seven innings, zero earned runs) to help propel them to a 2-1 season-opening victory over the Rockies (0-1) on Friday. The National League foes are back at it on Saturday, and we have a pitching matchup between Michael Lorenzen and Eury Perez. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET from loanDepot park in Miami, FL.
The NRFI cashed in yesterday's low-scoring 2-1 affair, and I'm going to back these starting pitchers to combine for another scoreless first inning today. Perez has owned the Rockies in the head-to-head category, limiting their current roster to a slash line of .111/.238/.333 over 18 at-bats. Key hitters Jake McCarthy (1-for-1), Hunter Goodman (0-for-2) and Willi Castro (0-for-2) are a combined 1-for-5 (.200) against Perez.
On the other hand, we just saw Lorenzen excel in the World Baseball Classic earlier this month. In 7.1 innings, he logged a respectable 1.23 WHIP and held opponents to a .222 batting average. He'll take on a Miami offense that finished last season ranked a pedestrian 16th in runs per game (4.38) and 20th in slugging rate (.393). Let's play the NRFI in this battle of mediocre offenses.
Bet: NRFI (-135)
New York Yankees (-131) vs. San Francisco Giants (+109) | O/U 8.5 (-112/-108)
Starting Pitchers: Will Warren vs. Tyler Mahle
The Giants (0-2) have yet to score a run this season, losing back-to-back games to the Yankees (2-0) by scores of 7-0 and 3-0. San Francisco will turn to Tyler Mahle on Saturday, while New York opts for Will Warren. This contest gets underway at 7:15 p.m. ET from Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA.
I like this NRFI a lot at +100 odds. Mainly, I look at the head-to-head numbers when making my wagers, and this looks like a decent spot for San Francisco's Mahle. He'll have to work around Paul Goldschmidt, who's 11-for-29 (.379) against him. After that, though, he gets the struggling Aaron Judge (1-for-2), Cody Bellinger (1-for-10) and Giancarlo Stanton (0-for-2). Judge is obviously the scariest of those names, but he's just 1-for-9 (.111) to start 2026.
As for Warren, well, he draws a matchup against a Giants squad that hasn't scored in 2026. Their lineup is hitting just .068 through two games. The noteworthy head-to-head numbers in this matchup include Matt Chapman (0-for-2), Rafael Devers (0-for-2) and Willy Adames (0-for-2) being a combined 0-for-6 (.000) against Warren. Factor in that Oracle Park plays as a pitcher-friendly park, and I think we're getting a really nice price on this NRFI bet.
Bet: NRFI (+100)
Detroit Tigers (-115) vs. San Diego Padres (-105) | O/U 8.0 (-116/-104)
Starting Pitchers: Jack Flaherty vs. Randy Vasquez
Let's wrap it up in SoCal, where the Padres (0-2) are looking to break into the win column after dropping consecutive games to the Tigers (2-0) out of the gate. This Interleague showdown pits Jack Flaherty against Randy Vasquez. First pitch is slated for 8:40 p.m. ET from Petco Park in San Diego, CA.
I'll flip around and take the yes runs first inning (YRFI) side to round out my Saturday betting card. These teams are 1-1 to the YRFI this season. Neither starting pitcher was overpowering last season, each logging ERAs north of 3.80 in 2025.
Vasquez is running into a Tigers lineup hitting .385 (5-for-13) against him with a 1.325 OPS. On the other hand, the Padres are slashing .275/.371/.451 against Flaherty over 91 at-bats. That includes Fernando Tatis Jr., who is 7-for-13 (.538) against him with six extra-base hits. There's some decent starpower at the top of these two lineups, so I'll back the YRFI in this spot at -105 odds.
Bet: YRFI (-105)
