Saturday brings along another loaded slate of MLB games. As you enjoy the weekend baseball, let’s dive into the top MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) picks and predictions.
If you're unfamiliar with MLB NRFI bets, they’re pretty simple. We're betting on whether or not any runs will be scored in the first inning by either team. Both starting pitchers must pitch a scoreless first inning for the bet to cash.
Let's get to my favorite MLB NRFI picks and plays for Saturday, June 14th’s game Cardinals vs. Brewers.
- MLB NRFI/YRFI Cheat Sheet - Team View
- MLB NRFI/YRFI Cheat Sheet - Matchup View
- MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
- MLB Consensus Odds
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Saturday's Best MLB NRFI Picks: Cardinals vs. Brewers
(All odds courtesy FanDuel Sportsbook)
St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee Brewers NRFI Picks
Starting Pitchers: Andre Pallante vs. Jose Quintana
Today's first NRFI pick features the Cardinals and Brewers in a National League Central matchup. The pair of starting pitchers in this game should anchor a scoreless first inning based on their track records and encouraging trends.
Cardinals starter Andre Pallante has a shaky 4.75 ERA and 1.38 WHIP this season. Still, he's been effective in the first inning. The right-hander boasts a 10-3 NRFI record with a 2.77 ERA in the opening frame. He also posted a 15-5 NRFI mark last year.
Pallante will take on a Brewers offense that's struggled against right-handed pitching lately. In June versus righties, they have a .281 wOBA (29th), 78 wRC+ (28th) and .199 batting average (29th). Milwaukee is also batting just .207 with a 28.1% strikeout rate against right-handers in the first inning this month.
If you're worried about Pallante on the road, consider this: Milwaukee ranks dead last in the Majors in batting average and wOBA at home in the first inning this season. The Brewers' team 24-11 NRFI record at home is also second in the league.
On the other side, Brewers starter Jose Quintana has an impressive 2.66 ERA through eight starts this year. He's allowed two earned runs or fewer in all but one outing so far. The veteran southpaw owns some solid first-inning numbers as well.
Quintana has a 6-2 NRFI record this season with a .185 batting average allowed in the opening frame. Last year, he tossed a scoreless first inning in 22 of his 31 starts (71%) with a .226 batting average allowed. He's now posted a 64-20 NRFI mark over the past four seasons combined for a 76% NRFI rate.
The Milwaukee lefty will face one of the league's worst first-inning offenses. St. Louis ranks 29th in runs scored and 28th in wOBA in the opening frame this season. The Cardinals are also batting just .175 against left-handers in the first inning (29th).
Pick: NRFI (-130)
