MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (6/30)
All 30 MLB teams are in play today across 15 contests, with games beginning at 6:35 p.m. ET. There are ample contests to pick from for the best MLB no runs first inning (NRFI) picks or MLB yes runs first inning (YRFI) picks.
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Tuesday’s Best MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook | All bets are for 1 unit
Pittsburgh Pirates (+190) at Philadelphia Phillies (-230) | O/U 8.5 (-106/-113)
Starting Pitchers: Bubba Chandler vs. Cristopher Sanchez
Bubba Chandler has pitched well on the road since reaching the Majors last year, albeit with some good luck. According to FanGraphs, in 60.2 innings on the road since last year, Chandler has a 3.41 ERA, 4.70 xFIP, 1.14 WHIP, 10.9% walk rate and 23% strikeout rate.
Chandler’s slightly more sustainable early in the game, though. He has a 2.84 ERA and 4.41 xFIP in his first time through the order as a starter this year, and a 3.35 ERA and 4.23 xFIP in his first time through the order as a starter in his MLB career.
Chandler has logged an 11-4 NRFI-YRFI record in 15 starts this season, going 6-2 on the road, with three straight scoreless first innings.
The Pirates hurler has a challenging matchup early in the game, with left-handed batters Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Brandon Marsh standing out as the scariest matchups, given their hitting ability and their platoon advantage. Still, Chandler is good enough to keep them off the board in the first inning.
Sanchez is the A-side of this matchup. The lefty is a fire-breathing monster at home. In 163.2 innings at home since last season, Sanchez has twirled a 1.54 ERA, 2.45 xFIP, 0.92 WHIP, 5.2% walk rate, 30% strikeout rate and 59.8%. groundball rate.
The lefty has a 13-4 NRFI-YRFI record in 17 starts this year, and he’s thrown a scoreless first inning in nine out of 10 starts at home. Sanchez’s matchup against the projected top five hitters in Pittsburgh’s lineup isn’t a pushover, but it’s not a terrifying group either. Sanchez should continue his home dominance, starting with a scoreless first inning tonight.
Pick: NRFI (-105)
Minnesota Twins (-118) at Houston Astros (-102) | O/U 8.5 (-102/-119)
Starting Pitchers: Joe Ryan vs. Mike Burrows
The Astros might have a difficult time getting to Joe Ryan early or at all. He is having a stellar season, and he’s pitched well on the road, with a 3.29 ERA, 3.86 xFIP, 0.99 WHIP, 5.5% walk rate and 26% strikeout rate in 125.2 innings on the road since last season.
Ryan has a 12-5 NRFI-YRFI record in 2026, and he’s gone 5-2 on the road. Still, that leaves some wiggle room for the Astros to scratch a run across against him in the first inning.
Furthermore, the top of Houston’s lineup has some punch. Each of the top five projected hitters has posted at least a 108 wRC+ against righties since 2024, with four posting at least a 112 wRC+.
And, of course, Yordan Alvarez is a beast, with 25 homers, a .424 on-base percentage (OBP), .298 ISO, .431 wOBA and 179 wRC+ in 370 plate appearances this season. He could deliver a first-inning run by launching a long ball.
However, the YRFI is appealing because Mike Burrows is starting for Houston. He has a putrid 7.05 ERA, 4.76 xFIP, 1.81 WHIP, 11.6% walk rate and 22.1% strikeout rate in 37 innings at home this year.
Burrows has a 9-6 NRFI-YRFI record in 15 starts in 2026 and a 4-3 record at home. Moreover, left-handed batters have torched Burrows, tallying a .421 wOBA against him this year.
The Twins have mixed and matched the top five hitters in their order against righties lately. Having said that, they’ll likely have at least four batters in that group who are left-handed hitters or switch-hitters, which should pose problems for Burrows. The Twins should produce a run in the first inning against the Astros tonight.
Pick: YRFI (-110)
Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.