There are two NRFI bets today that stand out as the best bets above all the others on the entire slate today, and we can still get good value on the odds. I’m pumped about the pair of good pitching matchups we have in these games and love these two no run first inning picks for Wednesday, June 19. Let’s talk about ’em.
NRFI Bets Today: Best No Run First Inning Picks & Predictions
Houston Astros vs. Chicago White Sox | NRFI Bets Today
Move over, Jesus Luzardo; there might be a new lefty taking the NRFI King throne — Garrett Crochet. All this fella has done is gone 14-1 on NRFI bets this season and cash his last 10 no run first inning chances. He’s incredible.
Tonight he faces the Astros, who are actually a top-10 team in terms of YRFI percentage this season. I do worry about Jose Altuve attacking the first-pitch fastball and hammering it for a homer like we’ve seen him do to open games plenty of times before. But scared money ain’t gonna make money.
With how lockdown Crochet has been all season, we have to trust him in this spot, especially when oddsmakers are showing him a ton of respect and have the game total projected at 7.5 and the Astros projected for only 3.85 runs.
I’m not going to waste your time — or mine — with analysis on why we should take a NRFI bet against the White Sox. This offense is abysmal in every way and ranks last in baseball in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and wRC+.
So it could be you or me on the mound out there tonight, and I’d still be firing up the no run first inning.
Hunter Brown will get it done for us.
We ride the NRFI bet today in Astros-White Sox for the -125 value at bet365.
Best NRFI Bets Today: Astros-White Sox NRFI (-125 at bet365)
Seattle Mariners vs. Cleveland Guardians | NRFI Bets Today
We’re getting even more value on this NRFI bet today than we did on our first no run first inning pick. The Mariners-Guardians game is also projected for 7.5 runs, and we’re getting -120 value on the NRFI with two strong young arms on the mound in Tanner Bibee and Bryan Woo.
Bibee is 11-3 on NRFI bets this season but couldn’t cash his last time out against the Reds. However, the Mariners are a much better matchup for the young righty. Seattle strikes out more than any team in baseball — 27.5% of the time — and the number even goes up when you turn dial to zoom in on how they fare against right-handed pitching.
He’s found some big-time strikeout success of late as well, racking up 25 over his last three starts (16.2 innings), mostly thanks to the increased whiff rate on his slider. We’re going to see a lot of swings and misses on that pitch tonight with the Mariners’ propensity to swing and miss, which would be a boon to Bibee’s ability get outs without allowing contact.
Woo is coming off extended rest after some weird arm issues, so this doesn’t go without a little risk, but we should be fine here.
Cleveland is a bottom-10 team in terms of scoring runs in the first inning this season, and Woo is 6-0 on NRFI bets for us, which we love to see.
He has a 1.7% walk rate and a 2.2% barrel rate, which are just absolutely absurd numbers. There’s no doubt the kid knows how to pitch, and his Stuff+ numbers bear that out as well.
We’ve been running hot lately and have a 5-1 run to protect. Let’s cash these two NRFI bets today, add some more money to our pockets and come back on Thursday with a 7-1 run to our name.
Best NRFI Bets Today: Mariners-Guardians NRFI (-120 at DraftKings)
