⚾ Best NRFI Bets Today: MLB No Run First Inning Picks for Tuesday, June 2
American League Cy Young Award favorite Cam Schlittler toes the rubber for the New York Yankees, which automatically sparks my interest for the Guardians-Yankees matchup as one of my best NRFI bets today.
Davis Martin of the White Sox is also quietly having a Cy Young caliber season, and he is another big reason for a second MLB NRFI play. My only YRFI wager (Yes Run First Inning, meaning at least one of the two teams will score before the second inning begins) of my four-pack of plays comes from the Athletics-Cubs matchup which could be a slugfest at the wind-aided Wrigley Field.
⚾ Best NRFI bets today: June 2
See all of our experts’ MLB picks based on the latest MLB odds.
| ⚾ NRFI pick | 💵 Units | 📝 Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Guardians vs. Yankees NRFI (-115 via DraftKings) | 1u → 0.87u | AL Cy Young Award Cam Schlittler should set the tone early |
| Blue Jays vs. Braves NRFI (-120 via bet365) | 1u → 0.83u | Kevin Gausman has great career numbers against current Braves hitters |
| White Sox vs. Twins NRFI (-115 via DraftKings) | 1u → 0.87u | Davis Martin has quietly been one of the league's best pitchers |
| Athletics vs. Cubs YRFI (-105 via bet365) | 1u → 0.95u | Jameson Taillon has been one of MLB's worst qualified starting pitchers |
Total wagered: 4.0 units | Max profit: 3.46 units
📃 Affiliate disclosure
Sportsbook Review may receive a commission if you sign up through our links. Not intended for use in MA. Bonuses not applicable in Ontario. 21+ only. (Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
💰 Best NRFI bet today
Guardians vs. Yankees (7:05 p.m. ET)
- Joey Cantillo (3.57 ERA) vs. Cam Schlittler (1.50 ERA)
- NRFI records: Guardians (35-26) vs. Yankees (26-33)
To go along with an elite 29.5% strikeout and 4.7% walk rate, Cam Schlittler has a 2.50 xERA, while hitters are batting .185 with a .218 wOBA against him. His 37 ERA- is first among all AL starting pitchers.
Schlittler made history in becoming the first MLB pitcher since 1913 with 50-plus strikeouts, fewer than 10 walks, one or fewer home runs allowed, and a sub-1.50 ERA over his first nine starts of a season.
I also expect Joey Cantillo to match zeroes early, even if New York has a 58% YRFI success rate against southpaws.
📡 SBR Edge: Schlittler in elite company
Cam Schlittler is one of four pitchers with at least eight starts, a strikeout rate of 27%, a walk rate below 7%, and a ground ball rate above 45%.
🔥 More NRFI picks today
Blue Jays vs. Braves (7:15 p.m. ET)
- Kevin Gausman (3.13 ERA) vs. Bryce Elder (2.50)
- NRFI records: Blue Jays (30-30) vs. Braves (27-33)
Kevin Gausman has had overall success against current Braves hitters, limiting them to a .165/.182/.323 slash line in 91 combined at-bats. He needs to carefully navigate his first inning showdown with Matt Olson, as Olson has taken him deep twice and totaled a .875 OPS in 16 at-bats.
On the other side, Bryce Elder still ranked in the top 10 in ERA entering the week despite a shaky last outing where he was roughed up for nine hits and five runs over 3 ⅓ innings. But most of that damage was done in the fourth inning as he started with three scoreless innings, while lowering his first-inning ERA to 2.25.
White Sox vs. Twins (7:40 p.m. ET)
- Davis Martin (2.00 ERA) vs. Connor Prielipp (5.13 ERA)
- NRFI records: White Sox (26-34) vs. Twins (30-31)
Martin’s gaudy 8-1 record and 2.00 ERA only scratch the surface of his breakout season. In five May starts, he pitched to a 31.9% strikeout rate and a low 5% walk rate. Chicago has won each of his last eight starts, with opponents averaging fewer than two runs per game in that span.
Thus, this NRFI bet really comes down to Connor Prielipp’s ability to navigate a clean first inning. Prielipp has a negative WAR through his first seven career starts, but I’m hoping for positive regression from a 7.71 first-inning ERA, especially since he has held the No. 1, 2, and 3 hitters in opposing lineups to a .250, .063, and .235 batting averages, respectively.
Athletics vs. Cubs (8:05 p.m. ET)
- Gage Jump (7.20 ERA) vs. Jameson Taillon (5.37 ERA)
- YRFI records: Athletics (33-26) vs. Cubs (23-37)
Jameson Taillon’s 2.8 HR/9 rate is the worst of any qualified starting pitcher. But his minus-0.6 WAR is also a reflection of his career worst 6.57 FIP, and his 3.0 BB/9 rate and 1.276 WHIP that are both his worst since 2017.
Gage Jump gets a tough Cubs lineup in his second career start. He allowed nine hits and four earned runs to the Mariners in his first outing. Though he pitched a 1-2-3 first inning, the first three batters of the second inning reached base, while scoring three of the four runs.
Jump allowed an eye-popping .500 BABIP, so there should be plenty of traffic on the basepaths early for Chicago as long as it’s making contact.
🚀 Best NRFI parlay today
With a full 15-game slate of data to scour, it was easier to build a NRFI/YRFI parlay around advantageous matchups. With the four legs of this parlay, there is a great balance between games with ace level pitchers (Schlittler, Gausman, Martin) and matchups between unfamiliar opponents, as only one of these wagers comes from a division rivalry.
💵 Best NRFI parlay today
- Guardians-Yankees NRFI (-115)
- Blue Jays-Braves NRFI (-120)
- White Sox-Twins NRFI (-115)
- Athletics-Cubs YRFI (-105)
Best odds: +1151 via DraftKings (0.1u -> 1.15u)
💵 My betting record for MLB picks
All MLB picks, including SGPs, have been tracked since March 26.
| Bet type | Record | Net profit | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 115-171-1 | +33.95 units ✅ | +18.6% ✅ |
| NRFI picks | 3-0 | +2.59 units | +86.3% |
| NRFI parlays | 1-0 | +0.46 units | 360.0% |
💡 How I'm betting NRFI picks today (June 2)
Follow all of our MLB analysis and expert predictions for baseball season.
With my four MLB NRFI/YRFI plays, I am striking a balance between positive trends like young pitchers' breakout seasons in Cam Schlittler's and Davis Martin's case, while expecting continued success from other starting pitchers who have done shown consistency over several season, like Gausman and Elder. Backing a YRFI play in the Athletics-Cubs game bucks the trend that the Cubs own MLB's second-highest NRFI success rate.
❓ NRFI betting FAQ
What does NRFI mean in baseball betting?
NRFI stands for "No Run First Inning." It's a popular MLB bet that neither team will score in the first inning of a game, and the bet settles after just six outs (three per half-inning).
What does YRFI mean?
YRFI stands for "Yes Run First Inning" - the opposite of an NRFI. This MLB prop bet cashes if there's at least one run by either team in the first inning.
What should I look for when betting NRFIs?
Each team's starting pitcher is the biggest factor in cashing a NRFI bet, but you should also focus on each team's NRFI records (home vs. away) and each lineup's first-inning tendencies. Recent form can also play a bigger role than full-season numbers.
Related Articles
