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MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks & Predictions: Sunday (5/31)

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It was a mixed bag from an MLB no runs first inning (NRFI) picks perspective to kick off the weekend, as the top yes runs first inning (YRFI) bets based on money wagered went 2-1, while the most popular NRFI bets went 1-2.

Last week’s 2-1 showing makes it three out of the last four weeks being profitable for our NRFI columns, and I’m back to dive into some games on today’s slate for our top MLB no runs first inning (NRFI) picks. 

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          Sunday’s Best MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks

          Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook | Season: 12-14 (-3.73 units, -14.3% ROI)

          San Diego Padres vs. Washington Nationals 

          Starting Pitchers: Griffin Canning vs. Zack Littell

          The Washington Nationals entered the weekend having scored the most runs of any MLB team. After they play their 60th game today, at what point do we start to believe in them rather than be bewildered by their early offensive success?

          Washington has cashed the YRFI at the seventh-highest rate in its home games, as it is always one James Wood long ball away from cashing.

          While Zack Littell is coming off his first quality start of the season, I’m not totally buying his early-season resurgence from an 8.37 ERA in April to a 2.19 ERA in May. After all, he still ranks in the third percentile or worse in strikeout rate, xERA, whiff rate and average exit velocity. 

          Pick: YRFI (-120)

          Los Angeles Angels vs. Tampa Bay Rays

          Starting Pitchers: Jack Kochanowicz vs. Shane McClanahan

          Shane McClanahan snapped a 24.1 scoreless innings streak when he tied a season-high with four earned runs two starts ago. But he got right back to a dominant effort by holding the Baltimore Orioles to three hits over 5.1 shutout innings. The outing was encouraging, even though McClanahan recorded a season-low three strikeouts.

          The issue is that McClanahan faces an Angels offense ranked just outside of the top 10 in on-base percentage (OBP) and wRC+ against left-handed pitching. I also don’t trust Jack Kochanowicz to throw a scoreless first inning, given his career 7.20ERA, .375 batting average on balls in play (BABIP) and .926 OPS in the first frame.

          Pick: YRFI (-115)

          Milwaukee Brewers vs. Houston Astros

          Starting Pitchers: Jacob Misiorowski vs. Tatsuya Imai

          No offense to Tatsuya Imai, but this wager is all about the flame-throwing Jacob Misiorowski. The Brewers righty tied a career-high with 12 strikeouts, nine of which came on 100+ miles per hour (MPH) fastballs (tied for the most by any pitcher since 2008).

          Misiorowski set single-game records for 101+ MPH pitches (40) and fastest strikeout pitch by a starting pitcher (103.4 MPH) since 2008. Though his scoreless streak snapped at 29.1 innings, it was just 2.2 innings shy of a franchise single-season record set by Teddy Higuera in 1987.

          After the start, Misiorowski ranked fourth in ERA, first in strikeouts, second in WHIP and first in opponents’ average. With relative assurance that Misiorowski will throw a scoreless first inning, all we need is Imai to improve upon his 5.06 career first-inning ERA. That is misleading, though, since he is only allowing a .125 opponents’ batting average in the first inning.

          Pick: NRFI (-150)

          Mike Spector is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeSpector01.

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