MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Odds & Picks: Saturday (7/26)
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 26.
- 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)
New York Mets at San Francisco Giants
Starting Pitchers: David Peterson vs. Robbie Ray
Today's first pick features a late-night battle between NL Wild Card contenders. Robbie Ray and the Giants host David Peterson and the Mets. This starting pitching matchup has NRFI written all over it.
Peterson boasts a 2.90 ERA this season, and he’s pitching well lately. The Mets' left-hander has allowed only two earned runs over his last three starts combined. He also has a 2.82 ERA over his last 12 starts, with only a couple of hiccup outings in this stretch.
When it comes to the first inning, Peterson has been lights out. He's thrown a scoreless opening frame in 16-of-19 starts this year (84%). He also owns a 0.95 ERA, 0.68 WHIP, and a .123 batting average allowed in the first. This continues a trend from last season when Peterson posted an elite 20-1 NRFI record with a .171 BA allowed in the first inning. He also has a career 78% NRFI rate.
Tonight, Peterson will face a Giants offense that's batting .196 against lefties in the first inning this season (27th in MLB). Plus, San Fran has just a .267 wOBA vs. left-handed pitching in July (26th).
Meanwhile, Ray has a 2.92 ERA for the Giants this year. The southpaw has been regularly effective at home with a 2.53 ERA across 11 home starts. Ray will look to bounce back after giving up five runs on the road at Toronto last time out. Before that, he had a 2.36 ERA over his previous 11 starts.
Ray also has some encouraging first-inning numbers. He's tossed a scoreless opening frame in 16-of-21 starts so far (76%) with a .211 batting average allowed in the first. That includes an 8-3 NRFI record at home. Ray also has a 73% NRFI rate since the start of the 2021 campaign.
Pick: NRFI (-140)
Miami Marlins at Milwaukee Brewers
Starting Pitchers: Janson Junk vs. Jose Quintana
Let's now turn our attention to a matchup between the Marlins and Brewers. Some interesting NRFI trends and the starting pitchers in this game point to a scoreless opening frame. Let's break it down.
First off, the Brewers have a 35-16 home NRFI record this season. That's the league's second-highest mark. The NRFI has also cashed in 11 straight games for Milwaukee entering today. This immediately has us looking at a scoreless first inning.
Brewers starter Jose Quintana owns an 11-3 NRFI record this season with a 1.93 ERA and .170 batting average allowed in the first inning. He's also tossed a scoreless opening frame in seven of his last nine starts coming in. Quintana boasts a 77% NRFI rate over the past four seasons combined as well.
The Milwaukee left-hander will face a Marlins offense with poor numbers in the split. Against lefties in the first inning this season, Miami has just a .246 wOBA (29th in MLB) and .200 batting average (26th). Plus, the offense has a league-low .183 wOBA vs. southpaws in July.
Meanwhile, Janson Junk starts for the Marlins. The right-hander owns a 3.09 ERA and 1.03 WHIP overall this season. He's posted a 5-1 NRFI record across six starts with a 0.83 WHIP in the first inning. Junk also boasts a 10-3 NRFI mark in his career.
It's a small sample size, but Junk gets a favorable matchup here. He'll take on a Milwaukee offense that's struggled in the first inning lately. In July, the Brewers are hitting .197 in the frame (28th in MLB) with a .249 wOBA (29th).
Pick: NRFI (-120)