We cashed our NRFI bets AGAIN on Friday! That’s now a 5-0 winning streak on no run first inning picks and predictions for us, and the only thing we’re seeing is green here! We’re putting our winning streak on the line with my favorite NRFI bet today, so let’s analyze my favorite no run first inning bet for Monday, June 17.
NRFI Bets Today: Best No Run First Inning Picks & Predictions
Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays | NRFI Bets Today
If you’re just stepping back into baseball after a few years and saw this Red Sox-Blue Jays game as a NRFI bet today, you’d think I’m nuts. But things have changed in the AL East, especially with these two teams.
We’re looking at a 7.5 projected run total in this game with Yusei Kikuchi and Nick Pivetta getting the starts tonight for the Jays and Sox, respectively.
Kikuchi has been pretty nails on NRFI bets this season, sporting a 10-4 record so far on NRFIs, and has cashed his last two — against the Brewers and Orioles, no less. So pretty impressive stuff there.
The Red Sox offense is a far cry from the same level as Milwaukee and Baltimore, so we should feel quite comfortable with Kikuchi and his 3.26 ERA on the mound tonight in Rogers Centre.
Boston leads the league in strikeout rate against lefties this season, whiffing at nearly a 30% clip. And while Kikuchi isn’t a dominant pitcher in the strikeout department, he does have a 23.6% strikeout rate. So we could see a few more opportunities for outs without contact in the first inning tonight, which makes this all the more appetizing.
For Pivetta, he’s the polar opposite. He relies HEAVILY on the swing-and-miss and is a strikeout pitcher. He’s getting strikeouts at a 29.6% rate this season, and his 29.3% whiff rate ranks in the top 25% of all pitchers in baseball this season.
The Red Sox righty is 6-3 on NRFI bets this season and had cashed four straight before faltering in his last start against the Phillies. But shutting down that Philly offense is a tough task on a hot day in the Bank.
The Blue Jays offense is the worst in all of baseball at runs scored in first innings this year, and it’s been historically bad. They’ve scored in only 14% of their first innings, which is … well, woof.
I like this matchup with these two guys on the mound and these two meh offenses. It sets up for a nice NRFI bet today, so let’s cash this ticket and extend our winning streak to 6-0.
Best NRFI Bets Today: Red Sox-Blue Jays NRFI (-114 at BetRivers)
