All 30 MLB teams are in play today across 16 contests, with games beginning at 2:15 p.m. ET, with the Brewers and Cardinals making up a game postponed from May 5th. There are ample contests to choose from for the best MLB no runs first inning (NRFI) 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 FanDuel Sportsbook | All bets are for 1 unit
Athletics (+160) at Detroit Tigers (-190) | O/U 8.0 (-108/-112)
Starting Pitchers: J.T. Ginn vs. Tarik Skubal
J.T. Ginn has greatly enjoyed escaping his hitter-friendly home ballpark. According to FanGraphs, in 89.2 innings on the road since last season, Ginn has spun a 2.71 ERA, 3.12 xFIP, 0.97 WHIP, 6.3% walk rate and 26.9% strikeout rate.
The righty has landmines to navigate at the top of Detroit’s lineup. Three of Detroit’s projected top five hitters have posted at least a 138 wRC+ against righties since 2024, and all three are left-handed batters.
Fortunately for Ginn’s outlook, he’s at least passable against lefties on the road. Ginn has allowed a .308 wOBA to 100 left-handed batters on the road this season. He’s also gotten off to a good start. Ginn has thrown a scoreless first inning in 14 of his 16 starts, going 7-1 to the NRFI/YRFI on the road, and throwing a scoreless first inning in four straight starts.
Tarik Skubal has been shockingly shaky in the first inning. He’s allowed a run in the first inning in five out of 11 starts and in two of four home tilts. Nevertheless, Skubal is too good for the hiccups to continue.
In four starts since returning from the injured list (IL), Skubal has amassed the following numbers:
- 4.03 ERA
- 3.17 xERA
- 2.39 xFIP
- 2.29 SIERA
- 0.85 WHIP
- 2.3% walk rate
- 34.1% strikeout rate
- 15.9% SwStr%
- 33.2% CSW%
- 122 stuff+
- 109 location+
- 127 pitching+
The gap between Skubal’s ERA and his ERA estimators suggests he’s been unlucky, and his pitch-modeling and plate-discipline numbers are elite. Shea Langeliers is a potential thorn in Skubal’s side, but the other hitters likely slotted in the early spots in the order for the A’s are unimposing, inexperienced or left-handed batters - in the case of Nick Kurtz.
As good as Kurtz is, Skubal’s .349 wOBA allowed to 63 left-handed batters this season is an outlier, as he held 149 left-handed batters to a .223 wOBA in 2025, and Skubal has allowed a .250 wOBA to 624 lefties in his career. Ginn and Skubal should combine for an NRFI tonight.
Pick: NRFI (-132)
Arizona Diamondbacks (+110) at San Diego Padres (-130) | O/U 8.5 (-112/-108)
Starting Pitchers: Zac Gallen vs. Undecided
Zac Gallen has been a train wreck this season. Among 63 qualified pitchers in 2026, Gallen is 63rd in ERA (6.36), 63rd in xERA (6.32), 62nd in xFIP (4.88) and 62nd in SIERA (4.98). He’s wasting no time getting into jams and surrendering runs, either. Gallen has an 8-10 NRFI/YRFI record this year, and that record is an eye-popping 2-7 on the road.
Even when Gallen should be at his best, he has an unimpressive 4.50 ERA and 4.34 xFIP in his first time through the order as a starter this year. Gallen is also dreadful against all hitters. He’s allowed a .375 wOBA to 223 left-handed batters and a .374 wOBA to 191 right-handed batters in 2026.
The projected top five hitters for the Padres aren’t a stacked group, but four of them have posted at least a 112 wRC+ against righties since 2024.
The Padres haven’t announced a starter, but RosterResource projects German Marquez to open the contest. Marquez has a 5.79 ERA, 6.00 xERA, 5.73 xFIP and 5.64 SIERA in seven appearances and six starts in 2026.
Marquez has permitted a .306 wOBA to 60 right-handed batters and a .416 wOBA to 81 left-handed batters this season. Marquez has thrown a scoreless first inning in four out of six starts. Nevertheless, combined with Gallen’s inability to keep offenses off the board in the first inning, the Padres and Diamondbacks should scratch across at least one run in the first inning tonight.
Pick: YRFI (-122)
Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.