The 2026 MLB regular season nears an end on Saturday. Several compelling games are scheduled, including a collision between the Houston Astros and Athletics that could determine the American League West division winner. An Interleague clash between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Philadelphia Phillies also carries playoff implications. Sports bettors wanting to get in on the action without sweating through an entire nine-inning contest can turn to MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) picks for a quick result. Here’s a look at two picks that stick out from the rest this weekend.
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Saturday’s Best MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Cleveland Guardians (-122) at Kansas City Royals (+104)
Starting Pitchers: Tanner Bibee vs. Michael Wacha
The Guardians will strive to build more momentum ahead of the playoffs when they visit the Royals on Saturday. Cleveland will hand the ball to Tanner Bibee (6-15, 4.35 ERA), while Kansas City counters with Michael Wacha (9-9, 3.33 ERA).
Note that there have been zeroes on the scoreboard at the end of the first inning in 90 of the Guardians’ 160 games this season (56%). That’s the third-highest NRFI cash rate in the league.
The driving force behind this pick is lackluster offense. The Guardians have struggled at the plate on the road. They have been a bottom-five team in road OPS (.673) and runs per road contest (4.05) in 2026. Meanwhile, the Royals have failed to come up clutch time and time again. Their offense ranks dead last in OPS (.683) and home runs (31) with runners in scoring position.
The pros on the mound have the advantage at Kauffman Stadium.
Wacha has fired a scoreless opening frame in 23 of his 30 starts and has surrendered a .194 on-base percentage (OBP) to the first batter of the game. Bibee has escaped the first inning unscathed in 24 of his 31 starts and has posted a respectable 3.32 ERA across 11 career starts versus Kansas City. Trust the hurlers to make quick work of two middling lineups.
Pick: NRFI (-111)
Los Angeles Angels (+166) at Seattle Mariners (-198)
Starting Pitchers: Ryan Johnson vs. Kade Anderson
The Angels will aim to end the summer with a series victory when they visit the Mariners on Saturday night. It’ll be a battle of rookies on the mound, with Los Angeles’ Ryan Johnson (5-9, 4.93 ERA) and Seattle’s Kade Anderson (2-2, 4.18 ERA) drawing starts. These divisional rivals are no stranger to one another. They’ve already met five times at T-Mobile Park this season, and three of those duels began with a scoreless first inning.
Anderson has recorded a stellar chase rate (34.1%) and walk rate (6.1%) during his first six starts in the Majors. Of course, forcing swings on pitches outside the zone and limiting baserunners are both great skills in the NRFI department. The savvy southpaw has thrown a clean opening frame in two of his three home outings. Expect more success facing an Angels roster ranked 29th in runs scored this campaign (443).
On the other side, Johnson has not conceded a first-inning run in 14 of his 18 career starts. The 24-year-old has been at his best when he’s ahead in the count, allowing a .202/.28/.303 slash line in that situation. Bank on him pounding the strike zone early against a Seattle squad that has tallied the second-fewest hits in the American League when behind in the count (362). Lock in a West Coast NRFI with confidence.
Pick: NRFI (-136)
