Saturday brings along another full MLB slate of games as we dive into top No Runs First Inning (NRFI) picks today. As you place your baseball bets today, check out these MLB picks and predictions.
Without further ado, below are my favorite NRFI plays for Saturday, August 3rd. Note that the odds may change before the first pitch.
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Saturday’s Best MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks
(All odds courtesy FanDuel Sportsbook)
New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Angels
Starting Pitchers: David Peterson vs. Jose Soriano
Our first NRFI pick today features the Los Angeles Angels hosting the New York Mets in an interleague clash. The starting pitching matchup of David Peterson vs. Jose Soriano isn't exactly must-see TV, but both starters can help cash the NRFI on Saturday night.
Peterson is having a decent season for the Mets with a 3.52 ERA so far. He's also allowed two earned runs or fewer in eight of his 10 starts. More importantly, Peterson owns a perfect 10-0 NRFI record this year while holding hitters to a .152 batting average and .434 OPS in the first inning. Last year, the left-hander had a 15-6 NRFI mark but tossed a scoreless first frame in eight of his last 10 starts.
The New York southpaw can maintain his flawless NRFI record in a very favorable road matchup here. The Angels are the league's worst offense against left-handed pitching over the past month (.250 wOBA, 58 wRC+, .556 OPS, .205 BA). Over the past two months, the Angels also have the worst lineup against lefties in the first inning (.182 wOBA, 13 wRC+, .382 OPS, .160 BA). Peterson should post a scoreless opening frame in this spot.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles starter Jose Soriano can do the same in his matchup. Soriano has a 13-4 NRFI record this season, including 6-1 over his past seven starts. He's also tossed a scoreless first inning in four of his last five home outings.
Though the Mets are a dangerous offense right now and boast good numbers vs. right-handers recently, we're banking on Soriano's favorable trends here. Plus, the Mets have one of the highest NRFI rates in the league this year (64%) and are 8-2 over the past 10 games.
Bet: NRFI (-111)
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Oakland Athletics
Starting Pitchers: Jack Flaherty vs. Mitch Spence
Today’s second NRFI pick brings us to a West Coast showdown between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Athletics. Trade deadline acquisition Jack Flaherty will make his Dodgers debut on Saturday night while Mitch Spence toes the rubber for Oakland. Let's break it down.
Flaherty brings a 2.95 ERA and 0.96 WHIP into his first start for Los Angeles this weekend. The right-hander has been excellent lately with a 1.77 ERA and 52:10 K:BB ratio over his past eight starts. He owns a 14-4 NRFI record this season, including 11 straight scoreless first innings. Flaherty also has just a .197 batting average allowed in his opening frames.
The Athletics are a bottom-tier first-inning offense this season, ranking dead last in wOBA (.267) wOBA, batting average (.191) and OPS (.604). Though Oakland has been much better lately, we're still backing Flaherty to start his Dodgers tenure on a high note. His track record in the first inning this season is top-notch and he's been one of the league's best pitchers over the past two months.
The bigger unknown in this NRFI equation is Athletics starter Mitch Spence keeping the Dodgers scoreless. The rookie right-hander has just a 4.47 ERA this season and has to face a dangerous Dodgers lineup. However, Spence has tossed a scoreless first inning in 10 of his 13 starts since entering the Oakland rotation.
Bet: NRFI (-113)
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