MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Odds & Picks: Tuesday (6/10)

Tuesday’s baseball slate is jam-packed. Two of the many games have enticing MLB No Run First Inning (NRFI) selections. Here are my top MLB NRFI picks and bets for Tuesday, June 10th.

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Tuesday’s Best MLB No Runs First Innings (NRFI) Picks

(Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook)

Washington Nationals (+135) at New York Mets (-160) | O/U 7.5 (-115/-105)

Starting Pitchers: MacKenzie Gore vs. Griffin Canning

MacKenzie Gore has improved yearly, and he’s pitching like a front-of-the-rotation starter this year. According to FanGraphs, Gore has recorded the following stats in 13 starts spanning 75.1 innings this season:

2.87 ERA
3.20 xERA
2.53 xFIP
2.50 SIERA
1.14 WHIP
7.2% Walk Rate
35.4% Strikeout Rate
15.7% SwStr%
28.9% CSW%
100 Stuff+
104 Location+
105 Pitching+

Washington’s southpaw is also a handful for hitters during his first time through the order. Gore has a 3.09 ERA, 3.76 xFIP, 1.25 WHIP, 8.4% walk rate and a 26.5% strikeout rate in his first time through the order in 85 career starts. He’s thrown a scoreless first inning in 10 of his 13 starts this season.

Griffin Canning’s underlying data isn’t as impressive as Gore’s. Nevertheless, he’s pitching well in his first season with the Mets. In a dozen starts spanning 59 innings this season, Canning has a 2.90 ERA, 4.09 xERA, 3.68 xFIP and 4.02 SIERA. He’s recorded a 2.13 ERA and 3.35 xFIP in his first time through the order as a starting pitcher.

Canning has thrown a scoreless first inning in 10 of his 12 starts this year, including tossing one against the Nationals on April 28th. Thus, these National League East foes should combine for an NRFI tonight.

Pick: NRFI (-125)

Chicago White Sox (+158) at Houston Astros (-190) | O/U 8.0 (+100/-120)

Starting Pitchers: Shane Smith vs. Lance McCullers

Lance McCullers allowed seven runs - all earned - in only 0.1 innings against the Reds on May 10th. It was a nightmare start. Otherwise, McCullers has been sharp this year, permitting zero runs in 3.2 innings on May 4th, two unearned runs in four innings on May 16th, two runs in 4.1 innings on May 22nd, three runs in six innings on May 28th and zero runs in six innings on June 3rd.

Since the Reds crushed McCullers, he’s brilliantly rebounded. In four subsequent starts, McCullers has twirled a 2.21 ERA, 2.74 xFIP, 1.08 WHIP, 6.8% walk rate and a 33% strikeout rate. Additionally, McCullers has done a stellar job of starting the game with a scoreless first inning, holding his opponents off the scoreboard in the first inning in four out of six starts.

Shane Smith is a bright spot for the lowly White Sox this season. In 12 starts spanning 62.1 innings, he’s put up the following stats:

2.45 ERA
3.59 xERA
4.05 xFIP
4.03 SIERA
1.14 WHIP
9.5% Walk Rate
22.9% Strikeout Rate
12.5% SwStr%
27% CSW%

In the righty’s first time through the order as a starter this year, Smith has a 1.80 ERA, 3.07 xFIP, 1.12 WHIP, 9.3% walk rate and a 28.7% strikeout rate. He’s also thrown a scoreless first inning in 10 of his 12 starts this season. McCullers and Smith should combine for an NRFI tonight.

Pick: NRFI (-120)

Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.