MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Odds & Picks: Sunday (4/13)

The MLB wraps up another week on Sunday, and there's no shortage of ways to get in on the betting action with today's 15-game schedule. I'm heading the prop route today, and below you can find my three favorite No Runs First Inning (NRFI) bets. 

• 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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Sunday's Best MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks

(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)

Philadelphia Phillies (-185) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (+154) | O/U 8.0 (-105/-115)

Starting Pitchers: Zack Wheeler vs. Matthew Liberatore

Let's start in the Midwest, where we have a rubber match between the Phillies (9-5) and Cardinals (6-8). Zack Wheeler gets the nod for Philadelphia, while St. Louis opts for Matthew Liberatore. First pitch is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. ET from Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO. 

Liberatore (5.84 ERA) is still trying to find his footing in the MLB, but one team that he's found success against in the past is the Phillies. Philadelphia's current roster is slashing .219/.286/.406 against him over 32 at-bats. That includes the key top-of-the-order hitters of Trea Turner (2-for-3, one home run), Bryce Harper (0-for-4) and Kyle Schwarber (0-for-6), who are a combined 2-for-13 (.154). Philadelphia is a profitable 8-6 to the NRFI this season. 

On the other hand, the NRFI is always live to cash when an ace like Zack Wheeler (3.44 ERA) toes the rubber. The right-hander has held St. Louis' roster to a slash line of .222/.273/.306 over 72 head-to-head at-bats. He takes on a Cardinals side that's 24th in first-inning runs per game (0.29) this year. I like this game to remain scoreless after the first inning. 

Bet: NRFI (-125)

Texas Rangers (+114) vs. Seattle Mariners (-135) | O/U 6.5 (-125/+105)

Starting Pitchers: Nathan Eovaldi vs. Logan Gilbert

The Rangers (9-6) and the Mariners (7-8) wrap up their weekend series this afternoon. This American League West contest features a marquee pitching matchup between Nathan Eovaldi and Logan Gilbert. This game is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET from T-Mobile Park in Seattle, WA. 

I don't care what the price is, I'll always look to play the NRFI when a pair of starting pitchers of this caliber go toe-to-toe. Eovaldi has looked excellent this season, sitting at 1-1 with a 2.29 ERA (26th) and 0.66 WHIP (fifth), while also ranking ninth in strikeouts (21). Gilbert ranks 29th in ERA (2.55) and second in both WHIP (0.62) and strikeouts (25). 

These have been two of the worst offenses in the league to start the season. The M's are a modest 17th in runs per game (3.87), while the Rangers are 25th (3.33). In terms of first-inning scoring, the Mariners average 0.20 runs per first inning (27th), while the Rangers are scoring 0.60 runs per first inning (11th). Both teams are above 50% on cashing the NRFI, with Seattle entering the day at 9-6 (60%, eighth) and Texas at 8-7 (53%, 16th). Runs should be at a premium in this one. I'm taking the NRFI. 

Bet: NRFI (-150)

Chicago Cubs (+215) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (-265) | O/U  8.5 (-110/-110)

Starting Pitchers: Colin Rea vs. Tyler Glasnow

All roads lead to a Sunday Night Baseball showdown between the Cubs (10-7) and Dodgers (11-5). Colin Rea will head to the bump for the visitors, while the champs counter with Tyler Glasnow. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET from Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. 

Glasnow (6.43 ERA) has had one fantastic start this season against the Braves (five innings, zero runs) and one not-so-great outing against the Phillies (two innings, five earned runs). While the Cubs boast a solid top half of the lineup, I do think we'll see the right-hander excel in front of his home crowd. The only notable head-to-head data we have is that Kyle Tucker is 1-for-3 (.333) against Glasnow with a single and two strikeouts. The Cubs have been an NRFI machine this season, ranking third in the league at 11-6 (65%). 

Meanwhile, the Dodgers are a middle-of-the-pack 8-8 (50%) to the NRFI this season, while sitting at 5-3 (63%) in home games. They'll be taking on Colin Rea, who has a 0.00 ERA in three appearances (5.1 innings) this season. Los Angeles' big guns of Mookie Betts (2-for-7), Freddie Freeman (1-for-6), and Shohei Ohtani (2-for-6, two home runs) are a combined 5-for-19 (.263) against Rea. As long as Rea can work around the powerful Ohtani, there's a good chance we will see this NRFI bet cash. 

Bet: NRFI (-115)