MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Odds & Picks: Wednesday (4/3)
The 2024 MLB season continues on Wednesday with 15 more games scheduled for play. There are a few enticing series, including an entertaining interleague clash between the New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks as well as a heavyweight battle between the Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros. Sports bettors wanting to get in on the action without having to sweat through an entire nine-inning contest can turn to MLB No Run First Inning (NRFI) tickets for a quick result.
Here’s a look at two MLB NRFI options that stick out from the rest on this week’s hump day.
Wednesday's Best MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Texas Rangers (+108) at Tampa Bay Rays (-126)
Starting Pitchers: Nathan Eovaldi vs. Aaron Civale
It’s a rubber match on Wednesday as the Rangers and Rays split the first two games of their series. Texas will look to get the job done with veteran Nathan Eovaldi (0-0, 3.00 ERA) on the mound, while Tampa Bay will hope to earn a win behind Aaron Civale (1-0, 1.50 ERA). There’s a lot to like about the chances of the first inning ending with zero runs on the scoreboard here.
There’s no denying that Texas put up impressive offensive numbers during the 2023 regular season. However, manager Bruce Bochy’s team only scored 0.35 first-inning runs per game when on the road. That was tied for the fifth-lowest average in all of baseball. Civale has held players like Corey Seager (0-for-4) and Adolis Garcia (1-for-6) in check throughout his career. Pitching at home will help Civale, too, as Tropicana Field ranks fourth-worst among stadiums in overall offensive park factors since 2021.
Keep in mind this is a Rays lineup that Eovaldi has dominated. None of the four Rays batters that have faced him 19 or more times are hitting above .200. To dive even deeper, Tampa Bay has posted a slash line of .165/.223/.231 across 121 at-bats and gathered a measly five extra-base hits versus Eovaldi. The Rangers right-hander sat down the Chicago Cubs in order on just nine pitches in the first inning of his Opening Day start. Expect him to hold up his end of the bargain on the road.
Bet: NRFI (-108)
San Francisco Giants (+198) at Los Angeles Dodgers (-240)
Starting Pitchers: Kyle Harrison vs. Tyler Glasnow
The Giants will aim to avoid a sweep on Wednesday after losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers by 8-3 and 5-4 scores in the first two contests of this NL West showdown. The pressure will be put on San Francisco rookie Kyle Harrison (1-0, 3.00 ERA) to shut down a talented lineup as he goes toe to toe with Los Angeles’ Tyler Glasnow (1-0, 2.45 ERA).
Backing Tyler Glasnow is a no-brainer. He has yet to allow a first-inning run across two starts in 2024 and has held batters in the San Francisco lineup to a slash line of .135/.273/.297 across 37 at-bats (zero extra-base hits). LA finished last season among the top 10 teams in opponent on-base percentage (0.302), slugging percentage (0.310), and total bases per game (10.63). The Dodgers pitching coaches know how to get the best out of hurlers with elite talent. Glasnow fits the bill.
Harrison took on the Dodgers twice toward the end of the 2023 regular season, allowing only two earned runs on three hits over 10.1 innings of work. Just one of those three hits came from a player still on the LA roster (Chris Taylor). Players like Mookie Betts (0-for-4), Freddie Freeman (0-for-5), and Will Smith (0-for-3) have yet to figure out how to attack the young left-hander. Harrison can complete this MLB NRFI bet with his nasty slider that regularly sends batters back to the dugout.
Bet: NRFI (-118)
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Wednesday: