MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Odds & Picks: Thursday (6/26)

Welcome back to another day of sports betting as the MLB season continues and we can make some No Runs First Inning (NRFI) or Yes Runs First Inning (YRFI) picks & bets. NRFI is 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 a trio of games on today’s smaller slate.

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

Last Time: 1-2 | Season: 15-12 | Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Cleveland Guardians

Starting Pitchers: Kevin Gausman vs. Tanner Bibee

For our early matinee of the day, we have the Toronto Blue Jays taking on the Guardians in Cleveland to round out their series. Kevin Gausman takes the bump for the Jays, and the veteran righty has a lot of promising splits here. His first-inning ERA is lower than his seasonal one, and he has a good history against the top of this Cleveland lineup.

Gausman is limiting lefties to a .204 batting average this year, which the Guardians will deploy two of to start the game, followed by Jose Ramirez, who is just 4-for-23 off Gausman lifetime. Tanner Bibee gets a big boost at home with just a 2.50 ERA at Progressive Field. This is a juiced line, but Bibee has also limited Bo Bichette well in his limited history, and taking care of the leadoff hitter is crucial in the early goings. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. scares me a bit, but not enough to put me off this bet.

Play: NRFI (-130)

New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves

Starting Pitchers: Grant Holmes vs. Griffin Canning

Once again, we have a divisional matchup between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets. I'm a bit surprised by this line because it's likely Atlanta or nothing. New York has been the fourth-worst offense at producing early scoring, and it's not like it's much better at home, going 24-16 NRFI-YRFI.

The Braves are an even 21-21 on the road, so it's more of a coin flip for them. The thing is, their top of the order is deadly. Ronald Acuna Jr. has only played 30 games, but he has a .383 average in that period with a 1.182 OPS. Matt Olson has seen plenty of Griffin Canning before, and Marcell Ozuna is a whopping 4-for-5 with two home runs off the Mets starter lifetime.

I know I said Braves or nothing, but it's not as if Grant Holmes has been locked down early in games or on the road this year, so I'm going to roll the dice that there are some fireworks early.

Play: YRFI (-130)

Miami Marlins at San Francisco Giants

Starting Pitchers: Janson Junk vs. Hayden Birdsong

I'll try to keep this one short and sweet because it's leaning in an obvious direction. According to the BettingPros NRFI-YRFI matchup view, a delightful tool, Hayden Birdsong is a perfect 6-0 at limiting opponents in the opening frame this year. He's also much better at home, and Miami's offense ranks 10th-worst at early run production in the league.

This may only be Janson Junk's second start, but he's limited opponents to a .135 batting average when facing them for the first time in the game. It jumps to .386 the second time, so maybe take some live overs, but all that matters here is the first inning. For me, it should be nice and quiet on both sides.

Play: NRFI (-120)