Sunday's here, which means it's time to kick back, relax, and enjoy full slates of MLB and NFL action. From a betting perspective, I'm keeping it on the diamond this afternoon and I'm taking it to the prop sheet. Let's dive into my top No Runs First Inning (NRFI) plays for today.
Sunday's Best No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Seattle Mariners vs. Tampa Bay Rays
The Mariners and Rays wrap up their four-game weekend series today and Tampa's currently up 2-1 in the series. Bryce Miller gets the nod for the M's while the Rays opt for Zach Eflin. First pitch for the series finale is set for 1:10 p.m. ET from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL.
While the Rays are the sixth-best team in the league in first-inning scoring (34.5%), this is a tough matchup for their offense. They're running into Miller, who has limited the current roster to a slash line of .083/.154/.333 over 12 at-bats. The right-hander was solid in his most recent start, limiting the Reds to just one earned run over 5.0 innings.
On the flip side, Eflin heads to the bump for the Rays. The right-hander has prospered at home this season, posting a 3.17 ERA while limiting the opposition to a .229 batting average. He'll look to mow down a Seattle lineup that's just 2-for-17 (.118) against him in his career. I think runs will be at a premium in this game and I'm riding with the NRFI.
Bet: No Runs First Inning (-135)
Milwaukee Brewers vs. New York Yankees
The Brewers are looking to break out the brooms on the Bronx Bombers this afternoon and they'll turn to Corbin Burnes to get them there. The Yankees counter with Gerrit Cole in this interleague tilt scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY.
Okay, what more do I need to say about this one other than we have a pitching matchup between Burnes and Cole? Well, the Brewers have been an NRFI machine the last week, going 4-1. Burnes will have a favorable matchup as he takes on a New York lineup that's ranked just 29th in team batting average (.227) and 22nd in OPS (.705).
As for Cole, he's putting together a fantastic season, coming in at 13-4 with a 2.90 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. The right-hander is currently a -330 favorite to win the Cy Young Award over at DraftKings Sportsbook. Over a 110-at-bat sample size, Cole has limited the Crew to a slash line of .227/.303/.418. Considering the pitching matchup, NRFI is a no-brainer in this one.
Bet: No Runs First Inning (-125)
Cleveland Guardians vs. Los Angeles Angels
The Guardians are looking to salvage a series split this afternoon and they'll send Tanner Bibee to the mound to try and accomplish that. The Angels will go with Kenny Rosenberg in this American League contest slated for 4:07 p.m. ET from Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA.
Bibee has been electric in his rookie campaign, going 10-3 while posting a 3.05 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. He has faced the Halos once this season and he limited them to a 1-for-13 (.077) performance. Bibbe should have no issue keeping this Los Angeles offense scoreless through one inning. They're the eighth-lowest offense in the first inning, plating at least one run just 27.5% of the time.
As for Rosenberg, he hasn't been very sharp in his MLB career. This season specifically, the left-hander owns a 5.54 ERA and 1.92 WHIP. While that's not ideal for us playing unders/NRFIs, this may be a big bounce-back opportunity. Rosenberg will face off against a Cleveland offense that's dead last in both team batting average (.230) and OPS (.655) when facing LHP. Finally, the NRFI is 9-2 in Los Angeles' last 11 games. Give me the NRFI in Anaheim this afternoon!
Bet: No Runs First Inning (-115)
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