Welcome back to another day of sports betting as the MLB season continues through the early stages of play, and we can make some No Runs First Inning (NRFI) bets. Opening Day started hot, and the plan is to continue that today.
The NRFI market is a popular betting market where gamblers wager on whether the first inning of an MLB game will end with zero runs scored by either team. Pretty simple. These types of bets are the best because they're quick - sometimes you'll know the outcome within minutes.
If you've done your research, NRFI bets can provide an edge over other markets. I'm here to help provide that edge. As always, shop around for the best odds and be on the lookout for lineup announcements, which can change a lot.
Let's dive into today’s bets.
- MLB NRFI/YRFI Cheat Sheet - Team View
- MLB NRFI/YRFI Cheat Sheet - Matchup View
- MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
- MLB Consensus Odds
Get instant alerts when a line reaches your target via the BettingPros App >>
Thursday's Best MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks
MLB Season: 3-0 | Last Time: 3-0 | Odds Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
Boston Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles
Starting Pitchers: Tanner Houck vs. Charlie Morton
Both teams have been near opposites so far in the early frames. Boston has yet to score in the first inning all season, while Baltimore is the best team in the league at early run production, averaging 1.60 runs per game in the first inning so far. Statistically speaking, that will either be the best offense in league history or heavily due for regression.
Tanner Houck has limited Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman to a sub-.500 OPS in eight at-bats against him. While that’s a small sample size, it's quite promising for an NRFI bet. To add to it, Jordan Westburg is 0-for-2 against Houck. So that covers the Baltimore side.
For Boston, it is a bit concerning seeing Charlie Morton's line in his first appearance of the year, but historically, the righty slinger performs better at home and in day games. Usually, teams won't take batting practice with the early call time, so it might take batters a bit to shake some rust off. Boston has struggled to score early this season. I expect that to continue in this matchup.
Play: NRFI (-110)
Houston Astros vs. Minnesota Twins
Starting Pitchers: Hunter Brown vs. Joe Ryan
After both pitchers had a solid start to their seasons, it almost feels like the NRFI has taken some juice, sitting around -155 across different sportsbooks. Joe Ryan isn't exactly deadly in the opening frame, though, with over a 4.00 ERA in the first inning last year. It's also notable how Yordan Alvarez (4-for-12 lifetime) and Isaac Paredes (3-for-9 lifetime) have both homered off the Twins starter while Jose Altuve has gotten a few wacks as well.
On the other side, Hunter Brown struggled to get going last year to the tune of a 6.37 first-inning ERA. It’s night and day compared to his 3.49 season-long ERA, with most of the Twins’ top of the order having previous at-bats against him. This line feels juiced the wrong way. I'm comfortable jumping on the value on the other side and going with a Yes Runs First Inning (YRFI) wager.
Play: YRFI (+115)
