MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Odds & Picks: Saturday (7/19)
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, July 19th.
- 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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Saturday’s Best MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks
(All odds courtesy DraftKings Sportsbook)
Boston Red Sox at Chicago Cubs
Starting Pitchers: Brayan Bello vs. Shota Imanaga
Our first NRFI pick features a Saturday night showdown between the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs. We have a pitching matchup of Brayan Bello versus Shota Imanaga. Let's bank on them combining for a scoreless first inning.
Imanaga is rocking a 2.65 ERA and 0.93 WHIP this season. The Cubs left-hander has been very productive, allowing two runs or fewer in nine out of 12 starts. He's also pitching well lately, with a 2.31 ERA over his last four starts since returning from the injured list (IL).
The Chicago starter also has an impressive NRFI track record. Imanaga owns a 9-3 NRFI mark this season with a .222 batting average allowed in the first inning. Last year, he posted a 25-4 NRFI record with a 2.48 ERA and 0.79 WHIP in the opening frame. He also had a 31.2% strikeout rate with a .131 batting average allowed in the first.
As for Bello, he's more of a wild card but brings upside to our NRFI equation. Boston's right-hander ended the first half on a high note. He owns a 2.06 ERA over his last five outings and a 2.69 ERA over his past 10 games. He's also posted a quality start or better in seven straight starts.
Bello has thrown a scoreless first inning in 10 of his 15 starts so far this year. Over his last nine starts, though, he owns an even better 7-2 NRFI mark. This stretch has also coincided with Bello's better outings overall. For what it's worth, he posted a 21-9 NRFI record (70%) last season and a 21-7 NRFI (75%) in 2023.
Admittedly, the Red Sox and Cubs both have dangerous first-inning offenses. Still, there's value on the NRFI here with Bello and Imanaga both in good form.
Pick: NRFI (-115)
Houston Astros at Seattle Mariners
Starting Pitchers: Lance McCullers Jr. vs. Logan Evans
Let's now focus on an American League West matchup between the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners. In this Saturday night showdown, Lance McCullers Jr. starts for Houston while Logan Evans toes the rubber for Seattle. The veteran and rookie can both help us cash the NRFI here.
McCullers has looked very shaky at times this season in his return to the mound. He owns a 6.48 ERA and 1.66 WHIP through 10 starts. He's also coughed up four or more runs in three of his last four starts. Yet, there's some upside.
The Houston right-hander's home/road splits are night and day. He has an ugly 11.86 ERA at home (six starts) compared to a dominant 0.46 ERA on the road (four starts). McCullers held the Dodgers to one run across six innings in his latest road outing. Plus, he boasts a perfect 4-0 NRFI record on the road.
McCullers' season-long 6-4 NRFI mark or 10.65 ERA in the first inning aren't exactly ideal. Still, the road version of the Astros starter is what we're hoping for tonight. It helps that he owns a career 76% NRFI rate. McCullers also faces a Seattle offense that's batting .205 in the first inning over the past month (26th in MLB).
On the other side, Evans gets a tough matchup against an Astros lineup that was hot before the All-Star break. Houston has also gone from one of the league's worst first-inning offenses to one of the best recently. Even so, let's trust the Mariners youngster.
Evans has a 3.75 ERA in his first big-league season, but his home/road splits tell much of the story. The right-hander owns a 2.28 ERA and 0.89 WHIP at home (four starts) compared to a 5.06 ERA and 1.76 WHIP on the road (five starts). He's also holding opponents to just a .171 batting average at home thus far.
The Seattle starter has a 7-2 NRFI mark in his rookie campaign. That includes a scoreless first inning in three straight home starts. It's a small sample size and not a ton of data to go off of, but Evans still creates some value in the NRFI.
Pick: NRFI (-120)