Welcome to another beautiful day as we are officially into the second half of the baseball season. Let's bet on some MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) picks. 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 significantly impact the outcome.
We have had back-to-back 0-3 weeks, but it's time to bounce back. Let's dive into some games.
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Friday's Best MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks
Last Time: 0-3 | Season: 37-23
Kansas City Royals vs. Cleveland Guardians
Starting Pitchers: Michael Wacha vs. Tanner Bibee
Starting out with a battle in the American League Central, the Cleveland Guardians host the Kansas City Royals. Cleveland has been on fire of late, going 8-2 over their last 10 games.
For the Guardians, Tanner Bibee gets the start, and he's been steady all season with a 3.97 ERA. In the opening frame, he's been solid with a 3.33 ERA and only a .238 opponents’ batting average.
Bobby Witt Jr. is really the only batter in the top of the Royals’ lineup who scares me, and Bibee is actually better against lefties, as shown by how two of the top three projected Royals starters have hit.
On the other side, Michael Wacha has been steady as well with a 3.33 August ERA and a 3.12 ERA in the opening frame this season. Simply put, both pitchers have high floors, and I expect the offense to take time settling in.
Play: NRFI (-120 at Hard Rock Bet)
San Diego Padres vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Starting Pitchers: Casey Mize vs. Shane McClanahan
A second matchup I'll spoil the answer to is San Diego versus Tampa. Both pitchers are elite in the first inning, and I'm shocked that the NRFI is only -120 here.
Casey Mize starts for San Diego. He has a 3.44 ERA on the season. He has struggled of late, but he's still elite to open games with a 0.45 ERA in the first inning, allowing just one run in 20 starts.
Shane McClanahan has been equally solid with a 2.05 ERA in the opening frame. The Padres have also been the 29th-ranked team in first runs scored this year. I really don't understand the pricing here. This is a rare opportunity for a two-unit bet.
Play: NRFI (-120 at bet365)
Chicago White Sox vs. Minnesota Twins
Starting Pitchers: Luis Castillo vs. Dean Kremer
Finally, tonight, of course, you know we can't go fully NRFI here. The White Sox head to Minnesota as they try to hold on to the divisional lead.
Dean Kremer starts for Minnesota, and he's struggled to open games with a 7.36 first-inning ERA, allowing opponents to hit .311 off him with a .932 OPS.
Luis Castillo starts for Chicago, and he has a 5.51 road ERA in 13 such starts this year. His first-inning ERA is 4.29, while his ERA in August sits at 5.89.
These aren't exactly elite starting pitchers, and both teams rank in the top-five in first-inning runs scored this year. I'd shop around in case this dips into plus-money territory, but I'll accept a little bit of juice here and back the Yes Runs First Inning (YRFI) side.
Play: YRFI (-105 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
