Mondays are usually a travel day in the MLB, but there are 13 games on deck for Monday, April 8. That means that there will be 13 first innings in which a run may or may not be scored. No-run first-inning (NRFI) betting is growing in popularity, as it can hook you into the first inning of the game for some early excitement.
Here are our best NRFI bets for Monday’s action, with odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook,
Teddy Ricketson’s 2024 record against NRFI: 7-4
Best NRFI bets: Monday, April 8
Washington Nationals vs. San Francisco Giants (-125)
The Nationals are the lone team in the MLB that has yet to score a run in the first inning this season. The Giants have scored only one first-inning run over their last five games. San Francisco has had a rough schedule to begin the year and should be able to pick up some much-needed wins in this series, but I think Washington starter Trevor Williams at least keeps the Giants off the scoreboard in the first.
Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers (-110)
Update: Valdez was scratched from this start due to elbow soreness. Rookie Blair Henley will be making his MLB debut. With the last-minute change, the Rangers don’t have much time to watch film on him, which could still give him an advantage in the first. NRFI for this game has moved to +105.
The Astros and Rangers have combined for 26 runs through three games, yet none of them have been scored in the first inning. Sunday night’s nail-biter saw Houston pick up the 3-1 win. Framber Valdez will be making his third start of the season, and he has yet to allow a first-inning run. Andrew Heaney allowed three runs in his first start but finished the first inning unscathed.
Game To Avoid
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies
The Diamondbacks average the most first-inning runs in the league. After getting swept by the Atlanta Braves, Arizona now heads to Colorado for a divisional series against the Rockies at Coors Field. Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen should make it difficult for Colorado to score in the first, but Rockies starter Kyle Freeland is a different story. He allowed seven earned runs in his last start and that still managed to lower his ERA on the season. Avoid this game for NRFI and if you want to commit to a run being scored in the first fully, a YRFI bet has -135 odds.