MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Odds & Picks: Saturday (4/13)
We have a huge 16-game MLB slate on tap for Saturday. As you place your baseball bets today, check out these No Runs First Inning (NRFI) picks and predictions for the afternoon and evening action.
Below are my favorite NRFI plays for Saturday, April 13.
Saturday's Best MLB No Runs First Innings Picks
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Chicago Cubs @ Seattle Mariners
Starting Pitchers: Shota Imanaga vs. Emerson Hancock
The final game on Saturday night features the Cubs and Mariners with a pair of newer MLB pitchers facing off. We have Japanese rookie Shota Imanaga starting for Chicago and second-year pitcher Emerson Hancock on the mound for Seattle.
Imanaga is off to a strong start in his debut MLB season. The Cubs' left-hander has yet to allow a run over his first two starts and boasts a 12:0 K:BB ratio across 10 innings. Imanaga is proving to be a tough scouting report for hitters facing his stuff for the first time. Opposing batters are hitting just .111 (2-for-18) against him the first time through the lineup.
Let's count on Imanaga to make it three straight starts without allowing a run in the first inning. The Mariners are 11-3 to the NRFI over their first 14 games, the second-highest mark in the MLB. Their offense is also in the bottom half of the league against left-handed pitching this season with a .302 wOBA, .225 BA and .654 OPS in the split so far. Seattle is averaging just 3.2 runs per game this year, and it rarely scores early.
On the other side, Emerson Hancock and his 11.42 ERA this year aren't as trustworthy as Imanaga. Still, the Seattle starter can squeak past the first inning without allowing a run. This is more because the Cubs are another team with favorable NRFI trends.
Chicago is 9-4 to the NRFI so far, including 6-1 on the road. Meanwhile, Hancock went 2-1 to the NRFI last year in his three Big-League starts and is 1-1 to the NRFI so far this season. The Cubs may get to Hancock at some point, but let's bank on him at least starting strong at home here.
Bet: NRFI (-115)
Cincinnati Reds @ Chicago White Sox
Starting Pitchers: Nick Lodolo vs. Garrett Crochet
The Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox play the second of a three-game series on Saturday afternoon, and the pitching matchup is interesting. Nick Lodolo will make his season debut for the Reds after starting the year on the Injured List (IL) with a calf injury. Meanwhile, it's Garrett Crochet Day for the Chicago White Sox. Both pitchers should help us cash the NRFI here.
Crochet continues to be one of the lone bright spots for the White Sox. The left-hander boasts a 2.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, and 21:1 K:BB ratio through three starts. It's mighty impressive for a former reliever who hadn't started a game since 2020 when he was still in college. Crochet should see some negative regression moving forward, but his 2.50 FIP and 1.58 xERA suggest his hot start may not be a fluke.
Crochet can keep it going at home with a scoreless first inning and another solid outing. The Reds' top three batters against lefties (Jonathan India, Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand) are hitting a combined .195 (9-for-46) against left-handed pitching this year. Meanwhile, Crochet is 3-0 to the NRFI so far.
Lodolo is the big wild card because he's coming off an injury and isn't in top form. Cincinnati's lefty starter allowed five runs over 7.2 innings in two rehab outings and posted a 6.29 ERA last year across seven starts. Lodolo also likely won't go deep into today's game, but that doesn't matter for this NRFI bet.
Though Lodolo doesn't offer much confidence, he can still toss a scoreless first inning against a weaker White Sox lineup. Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert Jr. and Yoan Moncada are all on the IL, leaving the Chicago offense much less dangerous at the top. Besides that, the White Sox are averaging just 2.4 runs per game this season with poor splits against southpaws (.260 wOBA, .198 BA and 31% K rate).
The White Sox are 8-5 to the NRFI this season so far. The offense was already an easier matchup before the slew of injuries, and it's not very threatening now, even for a pitcher returning from injury. The Reds are 7-6 to the NRFI this year, but Crochet should keep them in check early on.
Bet: NRFI (-115)
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Saturday: