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MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Odds & Picks: Wednesday (5/7)

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The 2025 MLB season continues on Wednesday with 15 games on the schedule. A few entertaining series are set for action, including a National League battle between the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs. The Houston Astros and Milwaukee Brewers will draw attention in their Interleague collision.

Sports bettors wanting to get in on the action without having to sweat through an entire nine-inning contest can turn to MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) tickets for a quick result. Here’s a look at two MLB NRFI options that stick out from the rest on this week’s hump day.

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

    (Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

    San Diego Padres (+146) at New York Yankees (-174)

    Starting Pitchers: Dylan Cease vs. Max Fried

    Late-game hitting outbursts have been the key to success in the first two clashes of this series. The Padres rallied for four runs in the eighth inning to win on Monday, and the Yankees erupted for 10 runs in the seventh inning to snag a victory on Tuesday. No runs were tallied in the first inning of either contest. Expect that trend to continue when San Diego’s Dylan Cease (1-2, 5.61 ERA) and New York’s Max Fried (6-0, 1.01 ERA) take the mound on Wednesday.

    Fried has been outstanding in his inaugural campaign donning the pinstripes. The crafty southpaw has logged a stellar 0.94 WHIP and allowed a minuscule .187 batting average through seven starts. Of course, limiting baserunners is crucial from an NRFI perspective. Note that Fried has yet to concede an earned run in the opening frame and sports a 2.30 ERA in five career outings facing the Padres. He can be trusted.

    The second half of this wager is riskier, as there are powerful sluggers atop New York’s lineup. However, Cease has held his opponent off the scoreboard in the first inning in six of his seven starts in 2025. The seventh-year pro has also surrendered only three home runs in over 33 innings of work. That’s encouraging ahead of a trip to Yankee Stadium. An NRFI wager has cashed in 11 of San Diego’s 18 games as an underdog.

    Pick: NRFI (-122)

    Toronto Blue Jays (-118) at Los Angeles Angels (+100)

    Starting Pitchers: Jose Berrios vs. Yusei Kikuchi

    A five-run eighth inning highlighted by Yoan Moncada’s three-run home run spurred the Angels’ 8-3 win last night. They look to build on that momentum as Yusei Kikuchi (0-4, 4.21 ERA) draws the start opposite Jose Berrios (1-1, 3.98 ERA) of the Blue Jays on Wednesday. This NRFI pick is all about slumping batters. Los Angeles and Toronto rank among the bottom four squads in hits, on-base percentage (OBP) and runs scored during the last 15 days.

    Diving deeper presents further alarming stats. The Angels have racked up the most strikeouts at the plate in the first inning (45) and have averaged the second-fewest hits per home game. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays have averaged the fourth-fewest first-inning runs per game and have recorded the fourth-worst team OPS with runners in scoring position (.622). Trust the numbers and fade two inconsistent offenses.

    Kikuchi and Berrios have more than 300 combined career MLB appearances. That experience will come in handy. The veteran hurlers have each pitched a scoreless first inning in five of their respective seven starts this year. The Toronto duo of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette is 3-for-14 with zero extra-base knocks versus Kikuchi. Los Angeles’ Jorge Soler and Taylor Ward are a combined 9-for-32 with just one home run against Berrios. Lock this bet in.

    Pick: NRFI (-120)

    Make sure to check out our other best bets for Wednesday:

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