MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Prop Bet Odds, Picks & Predictions (9/6)

It’s a busy day of baseball, with the MLB slate beginning in Pittsburgh at 12:35 p.m. ET and ending in Los Angeles for a nightcap. Whether you can catch a whole game or just a glimpse, the No Runs First Inning (NRFI) market is a great opportunity to catch mid-week sweat.

Here are my best NRFI bets for Tuesday, Sept. 6.

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

(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves

Pitching Matchup: Dakota Hudson vs. Spencer Strider

We are betting on the Braves offense to cash this YRFI for us. 

Dakota Hudson is on the mound, and I feel this will be his worst start of the year. Since joining the Cardinals rotation, Hudson is 4-1 with a 4.76 ERA. Even with a higher ERA, his FIP of 5.45 and xFIP of 4.94 tell us that more regression will come. Unfortunately for Hudson, that may be today. 

One of Hudson’s flaws is pitching on the road. In his two road starts, he is 1-1 with a 7.02 ERA while allowing three HRs.

The Braves have scored 126 first-inning runs, more than any other team in baseball. Look for Atlanta to jump on Hudson early and often.

Bet: YRFI (-130)

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Philadelphia Phillies vs. San Diego Padres

Pitching Matchup: Zack Wheeler vs. Michael Wacha

The Phillies are sending out Zack Wheeler today against the Padres. Philly needs another great outing from Wheeler to stay atop the NL Wild Card standings.

The Phillies’ right-hander has had success against this Padres lineup in years past. Among Padres starters with at least 10 at-bats, only Juan Soto (.261) and Garrett Cooper (.462) have a batting average above .250. 

Other Notable Padres vs. Wheeler:

• Trent Grisham: 2 for 11 (.182)
• Ha-Seong Kim: 2 for 10 (.200)
• Manny Machado: 2 for 17 (.118)

As for the Padres, Michael Wacha continues to deal. Wacha has revived his career in San Diego and gone 11-2 with a 2.85 ERA. Regression has been expected all year but has failed to show its face thus far. In his 19 starts in 2023, he’s only allowed four or more earned runs in just four starts. 

Only Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber have had double-digit at-bats against Wacha, in which both are ironically 5 for 17 (.294) with one double.

Wheeler has an overall NRFI record of 22-5 (80% hit rate), while Wacha has a 15-4 NRFI record (79% hit rate).

Bet: NRFI (-120)

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