Saturday brings along another full MLB slate of games as we dive into the top No Runs First Inning (NRFI) picks and predictions.
If you're unfamiliar with NRFI bets, it's pretty simple. We're betting on whether or not any runs will be scored in the first inning by either team. Both starting pitchers have to pitch a scoreless first inning for the bet to cash.
For Saturday, we have two picks featuring the Mariners vs. the Giants and the Blue Jays vs. the Mets matchups. Without further ado, let's get to my favorite NRFI plays for Saturday, April 5th.
- 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 >>
Saturday's Best MLB No Runs First Innings (NRFI) Picks
(All odds courtesy DraftKings Sportsbook)
Seattle Mariners at San Francisco Giants
Starting Pitchers: Robbie Ray vs. Bryce Miller
Our first NRFI pick today takes us to a West Coast interleague matchup. Robbie Ray and the San Francisco Giants take on Bryce Miller and the Seattle Mariners. This pair of starting pitchers in a pitcher-friendly ballpark points to a scoreless first inning.
After dealing with injuries the past two years, Robbie Ray could be in for a bounce-back season for San Francisco. The veteran left-hander had a 1.86 ERA over five spring training outings. In his first start last weekend, Ray threw five perfect innings before allowing three runs in the sixth.
More importantly, Ray didn't allow a first-inning run in his season debut. This is something he previously excelled at. In his last full healthy season in 2022, Ray tossed a scoreless first inning in 24 out of 32 starts (75%). He also had a strong 23-9 NRFI record in 2021.
Meanwhile, Bryce Miller has impressive NRFI marks as well. The Seattle righty held opponents scoreless in the first inning in 26 out of 31 starts last year (83.9%) with just a .198 batting average allowed in those opening frames. He also ended the season strong with a 1.94 ERA and 13-2 NRFI record over his final 15 starts.
Miller threw a scoreless first inning in his first start of the season. He can do it again with a favorable matchup here. The Giants are hitting just .053 (30th in MLB) with a .139 wOBA (28th) in the first inning this year. Plus, Seattle and San Francisco have a combined 9-4 NRFI record this season so far.
Pick: NRFI (-135)
Toronto Blue Jays at New York Mets
Starting Pitchers: Chris Bassitt vs. Griffin Canning
Let's look in the opposite direction for this second NRFI pick. As the New York Mets host the Toronto Blue Jays today, root for some scoring with a Yes Runs First Inning (YRFI) selection.
Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt had terrible first-inning numbers last season. He had a 5.23 ERA with a .323 batting average and .915 OPS allowed in his opening frames. Bassitt also had a rough second half of the season with a 5.38 ERA over his final 14 starts, including a 5-9 NRFI record in that stretch.
In his first start this season, Bassitt was solid with six innings of one-run ball. However, that one run allowed came in the first inning. This has become a trend for the Toronto righty, who had a 5.45 first-inning ERA in 2023 with 20 runs allowed in 33 opening frames that year.
On the other side, Mets starter Griffin Canning has some worrisome trends, too. He had an ugly 7.55 ERA in the first inning last year with a whopping 27 first-inning runs allowed across 31 starts. The right-hander allowed a .333 batting average and 1.006 OPS in his opening frames and posted a shaky 18-13 NRFI record.
This is also nothing new for Canning. He posted a 4.91 first-inning ERA in 2023 and a 9.00 ERA in his 2022 first frames. Yikes. You could also say he's due to allow a run early after tossing a scoreless first inning in his first start of the year.
Pick: YRFI (+105)
