OddsShopper is on a bit of a roll now with No Run First Inning and Yes Run First Inning (NRFI/YRFI) bets, as we went 2-1 to close last week. Now we’re keeping it going by exploring the markets and finding the best NRFI picks today on DraftKings for Monday, June 5. Today’s top picks include whatever the opposite of a pitcher’s duel is, with two starters who are in a great spot to get hammered early on. Let’s take a look at the slate of first inning run bets.
Best YRFI/NRFI Bets Today: No Run First Inning Bets
Houston Astros vs. Toronto Blue Jays NRFI (+105)
The pitching matchup features Brandon Bielak for the Astros and Alek Manoah for the Blue Jays. While Manoah might raise some concerns given how poorly he has pitched this year, Bielak just needs to avoid hard contact in order to navigate through the tough Blue Jays lineup. Despite the challenges, there’s still value in attacking Bielak against Toronto in the first inning. The second time through may be a different story, but these two can certainly get through the first without issue.
Chicago Cubs vs. San Diego Padres NRFI (-115)
Kyle Hendricks takes the mound for the Cubs, while Blake Snell handles pitching duties for the Padres. Although both pitchers have concerning walk rates, this seems like a spot where they will be able to avoid that trouble early on. Hendricks is still getting stretched out and Snell can strike out batters in bunches — if they can avoid keeping guys off the bases, this NRFI bet is an attractive option.
Detroit Tigers vs. Philadelphia Phillies (-110)
Joey Wentz gets the nod for the Tigers, while Aaron Nola starts for the Phillies. Wentz has shown an ability to limit walks, but he gets rocked most of the time he is on the mound. Nola has also had his fair share of mistakes lately. Put them up against each other, and a run the first inning seems like a reasonable expectation, even with both pitchers avoiding walks for the most part this season. The contact has been too much for both pitchers, and truth by told, an over on 1.5 runs in the first inning would be playable. For this one, though, we only need one run.
