MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Prop Bet Odds, Picks & Predictions (9/2)

The No Runs First Inning (NRFI) market is a great opportunity to catch mid-week sweat, even on a weekend. With 14 games on the slate, there is plenty of action to choose from.

Here are my best NRFI bets for Saturday, Sep. 2.

Saturday’s Best No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Bets

Los Angeles Angels vs. Oakland Athletics

Griffin Canning vs. Paul Blackburn

I think it’s safe to say the Angels have officially waived the white flag. Shohei Ohtani is done pitching for the year. They lost Lucas Giolito, Matt Moore, Reynaldo Lopez, and Hunter Renfroe to waivers, and Mike Trout’s season could also be over. 

The Angels have lost four of their last five games and eight of their previous 11 games. 

Griffin Canning is one of the few bright spots left on this Angels’ roster. Canning is 7-4 with a 4.38 ERA and hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in three straight starts. While his stats don’t jump off the page, his xFIP of 3.73 and xERA of 3.87 tell us he is better than what his 4.38 ERA shows. He may just be getting unlucky at times.

As for the A’s starter, Paul Blackburn, he may be the only constant in that Oakland rotation. The righty is 3-4 with a 3.93 ERA. 

Of the five other A’s pitchers with at least 10 starts (Sears, Waldichuk, Kaprielian, Muller, Medina), Blackburn has the lowest ERA and has given up the least amount of earned runs and HRs.

The one knock on Paul Blackburn is the high whip of 1.43. He can sometimes lose sight of his command, which gets him into trouble. If he can limit the free passes, he can give you a quality start.

The Coliseum is one of the pitcher-friendliest parks in the MLB. MLB Savant has the Coliseum with a 95 Park Factor, the fifth lowest of any MLB park in 2023.

• Paul Blackburn has an overall NRFI record of 12-3 (80%) and a home NRFI record of 6-2 (75%)
• Griffin Canning has an overall NRFI record of 10-7 (59%) and an away NRFI record of 6-4 (60%)

NRFI -125

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Saturday:

• College Football Week 1 Odds, Picks & Predictions
• Thor Nystrom's Best College Football Week 1 Bets (2023)
• MLB Same Game Parlay Odds, Picks & Predictions
• MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks & Predictions

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