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MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks & Predictions: Sunday (5/28)

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We have a packed Sunday in Major League Baseball today as all 30 teams take the field in their respective series finales. The games get underway bright and early at 11:35 a.m. ET with the Dodgers taking on the Rays. All action leads to a Sunday Night Baseball clash between the Phillies and Braves at 7:10 p.m. 

From a betting standpoint, I’m locking in my favorite No Runs First Inning (NRFI) wagers today. Let’s dive into my top three NRFI bets! 

MLB YTD: 37-58 (+17.95 Units)

Sunday’s Best No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Bets

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

San Diego Padres vs. New York Yankees 

The Yankees bounced back with a 3-2 extra innings victory on Saturday, evening up their series with the visiting Padres at one game apiece. We could be in for another low-scoring affair this afternoon as Yu Darvish squares off against Gerrit Cole. First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY.

I’m rolling the NRFI in the second game on today’s baseball schedule. Starting with Cole, he’s still a perfect 5-0 to start the 2023 campaign. The right-hander enters this interleague matchup with a 2.53 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. We have a 133 head-to-head at-bat sample with the Padres, and they’re slashing .232/.267/.472. The only batter that sticks out is the always-dangerous Juan Soto, who is 4-for-6 (.667) with two home runs against Cole. 

Darvish is putting together a respectable season as he’s 3-3 with a 3.67 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. Furthermore, he has excellent numbers against New York, who is slashing .154/.241/.269 against him. That includes an 0-for-3 (.000) from Aaron Judge. If Cole can work around Soto in the 1st inning, I think we’ll see the NRFI cash for the fourth time in five games for the Yankees. 

Bet: No Runs First Inning (-135)

Chicago White Sox vs. Detroit Tigers 

Chicago’s underwhelming season continued on Saturday as they dropped their second game in three tries against the Detroit Tigers. However, the rotation rolls over for the Southsiders, and Dylan Cease gets the nod as the Sox attempt to salvage a series split. The Tigers counter with Eduardo Rodriguez in this divisional showdown slated for 1:40 p.m. ET from Comerica Park in Detroit, MI. 

Rodriguez has been sharp this season and comes into this one at 4-4 with a 2.19 ERA and 0.96 WHIP over 61.2 innings of work. In four starts this month, the left-hander owns a 2.16 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. As for the head-to-head statistics, the White Sox are slashing just .197/.250/.296 against Rodriguez over 71 at-bats. Lead-off man Tim Anderson is 0-for-14 (.000) against him, while Luis Robert Jr. is just 1-for-4 (.250). 

As for Cease, it hasn’t been an electric start for him this season after placing second in the Cy Young voting last year. The right-hander is just 3-3 with a 4.60 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. He has always had a great track record against the Tigers, especially against this specific lineup. The current roster is just 19-for-85 (.224) against him. With two aces on the bump in a getaway day affair, I think NRFI is the best play in this spot.

Bet: No Runs First Inning (-130)

San Francisco Giants vs. Milwaukee Brewers 

Yesterday’s pitching matchup between Logan Webb and Corbin Burnes lived up to the hype as the duo combined for 14.0 innings while each allowing just one earned run. We have another solid matchup between Alex Cobb and Colin Rea in the finale. San Francisco will go for the four-game sweep this afternoon in a game that’s set for 2:10 p.m. ET from American Family Field in Milwaukee, WI.

Rea is off to a pedestrian start this year, sitting at 1-3 with a 4.71 ERA and 1.27 WHIP over 36.1 innings of work. The right-hander will be looking to build off of his first winning effort last time out, where he blanked the Astros over 5.1 innings. He also has great head-to-head numbers against the Giants, who are slashing .167/.211/.333 against him with just one extra-base hit in 18 at-bats. 

Even better in the head-to-head category is Cobb, who has limited the Crew to a slash line of .114/.235/.182 over 44 at-bats. Additionally, just one of the 44 at-bats has gone for extra bases. On top of those numbers, Cobb has been electric this season as he sits at 4-1 with a 2.17 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. NRFI is definitely the best bet here, and it feels like a gift to get it at just -105.

Bet: No Runs First Inning (-105)

Make sure to check out our other MLB best bets for Sunday:


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