MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Odds & Picks: Thursday (4/24)
Welcome back to another day of sports betting as the MLB season continues through the early stages of play, and we can make some No Runs First Inning bets. It's a popular betting market where gamblers wager on whether the first inning of an MLB game will end with zero runs scored by either team. Pretty simple.
NRFI bets are the best because they're quick - sometimes you'll know the outcome within minutes. NRFI bets can provide an edge over other markets if you’ve done your research. I'm here to help provide that edge. As always, shop around for the best odds and be on the lookout for lineup announcements, which can change a lot.
Let's dive into two games today.
- 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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Thursday's Best MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks
Last Time: 2-1 | Season: 7-3 | All odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Baltimore Orioles vs. Washington Nationals
Starting Pitchers: Cade Povich vs. MacKenzie Gore
On the surface, this game looks dangerous for some early run scoring. Washington and Baltimore rank seventh and ninth, respectively, in first-inning runs. Baltimore has been one of the most consistent at scoring early. MacKenzie Gore has held Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman and Tyler O'Neill all hitless in limited at-bats. His splits are even better. Despite a 3.41 ERA this year, he's only allowed one first-inning run across his first five starts.
On the other side, Cade Povich has a 6.38 ERA with an opponent .378 batting average. Not great. But he has yet to allow an earned run in the opening frame in his four starts. I expect him to continue his early success. It may seem ideal to bet the over given these two teams, but I am riding a scoreless first inning here.
Play: NRFI (-125)
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Los Angeles Angels
Starting Pitchers: Carmen Mlodzinski vs. Tyler Anderson
In a game with relatively weaker offenses, it's surprising to see where the NRFI odds sit. Pittsburgh has scored the second-fewest first-inning runs, while Los Angeles sits right in the middle of the pack. The team I'm worried about scoring here is Los Angeles. Carmen Mlodzinski takes the bump for Pittsburgh. Despite his 7.41 ERA this year, he's managed to allow zero runs in the opening frame across his four starts with just two hits allowed.
The Angels’ top of the order hasn't seen Mlodzinski much. Pittsburgh doesn't score all too often and Tyler Anderson has been OK early on enough to trust him. Reminder to shop around, but the near-even NRFI odds make this too good to pass up on.
Play: NRFI (-110)