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MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Odds & Picks: Saturday (6/14)

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Saturday brings along another loaded slate of MLB games. As you enjoy the weekend baseball, let’s dive into the top MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) picks and predictions.

If you're unfamiliar with MLB 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 pitch a scoreless first inning for the bet to cash. 

Let's get to my favorite MLB NRFI picks and plays for Saturday, June 14th.

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Saturday's Best MLB No Runs First Innings (NRFI) Picks

(All odds courtesy FanDuel Sportsbook)

St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee Brewers NRFI Picks

Starting Pitchers: Andre Pallante vs. Jose Quintana

Today's first NRFI pick features the Cardinals and Brewers in a National League Central matchup. The pair of starting pitchers in this game should anchor a scoreless first inning based on their track records and encouraging trends. 

Cardinals starter Andre Pallante has a shaky 4.75 ERA and 1.38 WHIP this season. Still, he's been effective in the first inning. The right-hander boasts a 10-3 NRFI record with a 2.77 ERA in the opening frame. He also posted a 15-5 NRFI mark last year. 

Pallante will take on a Brewers offense that's struggled against right-handed pitching lately. In June versus righties, they have a .281 wOBA (29th), 78 wRC+ (28th) and .199 batting average (29th). Milwaukee is also batting just .207 with a 28.1% strikeout rate against right-handers in the first inning this month. 

If you're worried about Pallante on the road, consider this: Milwaukee ranks dead last in the Majors in batting average and wOBA at home in the first inning this season. The Brewers' team 24-11 NRFI record at home is also second in the league. 

On the other side, Brewers starter Jose Quintana has an impressive 2.66 ERA through eight starts this year. He's allowed two earned runs or fewer in all but one outing so far. The veteran southpaw owns some solid first-inning numbers as well. 

Quintana has a 6-2 NRFI record this season with a .185 batting average allowed in the opening frame. Last year, he tossed a scoreless first inning in 22 of his 31 starts (71%) with a .226 batting average allowed. He's now posted a 64-20 NRFI mark over the past four seasons combined for a 76% NRFI rate. 

The Milwaukee lefty will face one of the league's worst first-inning offenses. St. Louis ranks 29th in runs scored and 28th in wOBA in the opening frame this season. The Cardinals are also batting just .175 against left-handers in the first inning (29th). 

Pick: NRFI (-130)

Minnesota Twins at Houston Astros NRFI Picks

Starting Pitchers: Joe Ryan vs. Hunter Brown

Let's now turn our attention to an American League matchup between the Twins and Astros. We have two top-end starting pitchers in this one, with Joe Ryan on the mound for Minnesota and Hunter Brown for Houston. This should lead to a low-scoring game overall, beginning with the opening frame. 

Hunter Brown has been lights out this season with a 1.82 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. He's allowed one or zero runs in nine of his last 11 starts as well. The Astros' right-hander boasts an elite 31.1% strikeout rate while holding hitters to a .187 opposing batting average. He also boasts a 0.88 ERA at home this year. 

The dominance usually gets going early, too. Brown has tossed a scoreless first inning in 10 out of 13 starts, including all five home outings. He posted a 22-8 NRFI record last year, including a 12-3 mark at home. That's a combined 17-3 home NRFI record over the past two seasons. Plus, overall in his career, Brown owns a 74.3% NRFI rate as a starter. 

Minnesota's offense, meanwhile, has struggled on the road in the first inning this year. The Twins rank 25th in runs scored and 27th in wOBA on the road in the opening frame. In June, they're batting a league-low .135 in the first inning. It's a good spot for Brown. 

Then we have Joe Ryan, who has a 2.96 ERA and 0.93 WHIP this year. The Twins starter has some top-tier metrics with a 28.3% strikeout rate, 5.2% walk rate and .206 expected batting average. He's rolling lately with two or fewer runs allowed in six of his last eight starts and a 2.35 ERA over this stretch. 

Ryan is also effective in the first inning. He has a 9-3 NRFI record so far with a .222 batting average allowed and 30.0% strikeout rate in the opening frame. In his career, Ryan owns a 74% NRFI rate with a 33.2% strikeout rate and 0.97 WHIP in the first inning. He has a combined 46-18 NRFI mark over the past three seasons (72%). 

The Minnesota right-hander will take on a Houston lineup that's arguably the league's worst first-inning offense this season. The Astros rank 30th in runs scored, 30th in wOBA and 27th in batting average in the opening frame. They're also 28th in first-inning runs against right-handed pitching this year. 

Pick: NRFI (-150)

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