Top MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks & Odds for Saturday, July 30th (2022)
We’re scheduled for a full 15-game Major League Baseball slate on this stacked Saturday in sports. The action gets underway as early as 1:10 p.m. ET with the Guardians taking on the Rays in Tampa. Other notable matchups include the Brewers vs. the Red Sox at Fenway and the Twins squaring off against the Padres out west.
Here are my top three No Runs First Inning (NRFI) bets for today:
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Boston Red Sox
The Crew won game one of the weekend series with Boston last night 4-1. They’ll go for their fourth straight win this afternoon as they turn to Eric Lauer to handle the starting pitching responsibilities. As for the Red Sox, they’ll go with Nick Pivetta to try and get them back in the win column in this interleague matchup scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET.
Lauer is putting together a respectable season for the Brewers and enters with a 6-3 record to go along with a 3.84 ERA (42nd) and 1.20 WHIP (37th). He was roughed up for four earned runs on six hits and a trio of walks over 4.1 innings against the Rockies last time out. The southpaw took a no-decision while striking out three in the outing.
Pivetta comes into tonight’s action with an 8-7 record, 4.35 ERA (53rd), and 1.28 WHIP (46th) over 20 starts in 2022. Most recently, the right-hander held the Guardians to just one earned run on seven hits and three walks over 5.2 innings.
Despite Lauer’s poor start last time, he’s pitching to the tune of a 3.22 ERA and 1.12 WHIP over four starts in July. As for Pivetta, we’ll look at his head-to-head stats with Milwaukee. He’s limited the current roster to just nine hits over 46 at-bats (.196) in his career. Let’s ride with NRFI in this one.
Bet: Brewers at Red Sox NRFI (-105 via DraftKings)
Minnesota Twins vs. San Diego Padres
The Twins dropped the series opener last night in San Diego, which marks their third straight loss. They’ll try to bounce back tonight as Sonny Gray takes the ball. The Friars will counter with Joe Musgrove in this game scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET from Petco Park.
Gray has been a very dependable option for Minnesota this season. He comes in at 5-3 with a 3.52 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over 14 starts. The right-hander was fantastic last time against the Tigers, limiting them to just one earned run on two hits and a walk over 6.0 innings. Gray earned the win, and the team improved to 9-5 in his starts this year.
Musgrove has been brilliant this year for San Diego. He enters tonight’s game at 8-3 with a 2.63 ERA (11th), and 0.99 WHIP (10th) over 17 starts this year. The right-hander wasn’t great last time he toed the rubber, allowing four earned runs over 5.1 innings against the Mets. New York got him for five hits and two walks in the losing effort.
Musgrove boasts a 2.20 ERA and 0.93 WHIP over seven starts at home this year. Additionally, he’s limited the Twins to 5-20 (.250) in his career, including 0-1 (.000) from Luis Arraez, 0-5 (.000) from Carlos Correa, and 1-2 (.500) from Byron Buxton. Conversely, Sonny Gray has held the Padres to 19-67 (.284) in his career with just five extra-base hits. I like Gray to carry over his confidence from his dominant outing against the Tigers on Sunday and at least keep a clean first frame.
Bet: Twins at Padres NRFI (-140 via DraftKings)
Oakland Athletics vs. Chicago White Sox
The A’s won last night’s opener 7-3 over the White Sox. They’ll go with their All-Star, Paul Blackburn, in tonight’s matchup slated for 7:15 p.m. ET from Chicago. Tony La Russa gives Johnny Cueto the nod as the White Sox look to snap a two-game losing streak.
Blackburn was putting together a fantastic season before his last three outings. The right-hander has given up 21 runs over his last 14.1 innings pitched. That included a 10-run shellacking courtesy of the Rangers on Sunday afternoon. Blackburn was tagged for 10 hits and issued two free passes in the losing effort. The trio of poor starts has inflated his ERA to 4.35 while his WHIP sits at 1.26.
Cueto has emerged as one of the more dependable starters for Chicago this year. The right-hander comes in at 4-4 with a 2.89 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 13 starts in 2022. He recently posted his fifth straight quality start against the Guardians on Saturday. He limited them to three earned runs on eight hits and a walk over 7.0 innings.
36-year-old Cueto has been a workhorse this year for the White Sox. He’s posted a 2.00 ERA and 1.22 WHIP over four starts this month. Look for Cueto to carve up this A’s lineup that ranks dead last in both team batting average (.215) and OPS (.620). Blackburn has held the White Sox to 7-24 (.292) in his career, including 1-5 (.200) from Tim Anderson, 2-6 (.333) from Jose Abreu, and 2-5 (.400) from Yoan Moncada. They aren’t overpowering numbers, but I think it’s worth a shot for Blackburn to keep a clean first inning tonight. This Chicago offense has not been as advertised this season. Let’s take NRFI in this AL showdown.
Bet: Athletics at White Sox NRFI (-130 via DraftKings)
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