OddsShopper’s No Run First Inning and Yes Run First Inning (NRFI/YRFI) bets keep on rolling, now up to 51-38 on the season! There is no better way to get a quick early sweat on MLB betting action, and the OddsShopper Premium Tool is the top resource in the industry for finding the strongest NRFI and YRFI plays. For Thursday’s split slate, we will again turn to it to identify the best NRFI picks today on Caesars — like strikeout artists Joe Ryan and Mitch Keller in potentially vulnerable spots.
Best YRFI/NRFI Bets Today: No Run First Inning Bets
Boston Red Sox at Minnesota Twins NRFI (-110)
Joe Ryan is set to take the mound for the Twins, while Justin Garza will pitch for the Red Sox. Garza presents a potential pathway for Minnesota to score runs at home. However, Ryan, with his elite strikeout stuff, poses a challenge for Boston. If the Red Sox want to score against Ryan, their best chance is to come out aggressive and counter his groove in the early innings. That said, Ryan has been tough to get to most of the season, so the NRFI is the play here.
Pittsburgh Pirates at Miami Marlins YRFI (+105)
In this game, the pitching matchup features Mitch Keller for the Pirates and Braxton Garrett for the Marlins. Keller is known for his ability to strike batters out, while Garrett boasts an impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio. However, Garrett may leave some opportunities for the Pirates to hit. To capitalize on their chances, the Marlins need to be aggressive and avoid allowing Keller to control the counts. This is a gettable spot, and the plus money makes the YRFI more enticing despite a reasonably strong pitching matchup.
Kansas City Royals at Tampa Bay Rays NRFI (-125)
Shane McClanahan is on the hill for the Rays, while Kansas City’s Jose Cuas presents a high strikeout rate of 28.7%. While Cuas may be hittable given he usually works out of the bullpen, he has the ability to strike his way out of tight spots. On the other side, McClanahan should dominate. He is likely to hold his end of the bargain, so all the Royals need to keep the first inning scoreless is Cuas to flash his strikeout ability. Despite some potential negatives like Cuas’ high walk rate, the Royals’ weaker lineup should be no match for McClanahan, so go with the NRFI here.
