We’re nearing the two-week point of the MLB season. The bad news: there isn’t enough data to truly understand how good all 30 teams are. The positive news? There’s five more months of baseball to figure everything out. Wednesday’s slate offers another jam-packed day of hardball for fans to sink their teeth into.
With 15 games on tap, this could be the perfect time to place some No Runs in the First Inning props (NRFI). Figuring out which pitchers thrive early, and which lineups struggle, is key to cashing in on this bet. Big-name starters are set to take the mound on Wednesday, giving bettors several enticing options.
Ahead of all the action, here are two NRFI bets worth placing on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Astros at Mariners NRFI (-125)
Last night, we cashed in on an NRFI thanks to Framber Valdez and Luis Castillo. Tonight, we’ll go back to the well for a showdown between Hunter Brown and…Luis Castillo? That’s Luis F. Castillo; yes, the Mariners roster two starters with the same name. For the sake of clarity, let’s assess the away pitcher first. Brown has carried over his second-half momentum from last season into 2025. In both of his starts, the righty has gone six innings while allowing two earned runs. Over his last three outings vs. Seattle, Houston’s fireballer has allowed two runs in 18.0 innings.
Unlike Brown, the ‘other’ Castillo has less of a track record. The 30-year-old has four career appearances in the majors, last pitching for the Tigers in 2022. However, we have enough information on Houston’s lineup to consider a fade. This season, the Astros have scored the second-fewest first inning runs in baseball, behind only Seattle and Pittsburgh. Sluggers Yordan Alvarez (.189 batting average) and Christian Walker (.156) have gone ice-cold at the plate. There’s risk, but I’d still trust Seattle’s starter to handle three outs against a struggling offense.
Twins vs. Royals NRFI (-125)
Let’s head to the AL Central, where two talented hurlers are hoping to make a statement on Wednesday. For the three-win Twins, Joe Ryan will get the nod. The right-hander possesses elite strikeout stuff, whiffing 147 batters over 135.0 innings in 2024. However, during that time he posted a middling 4.30 first inning ERA. Fortunately, Minnesota’s ace thrives in this matchup. Over eight career starts vs. Kansas City, Ryan has recorded a 1.49 ERA, including 55 strikeouts in 48.1 innings.
Seth Lugo will toe the slab for his third appearance of the season with the Royals. The 35-year-old was a pleasant surprise last season, earning his first career trip to the All-Star game. He was a strong starter during that time as well, giving up eight first inning runs over 33 starts. Minnesota has failed to score in the first frame for 75% of their away games so far. That trend is likely to continue against one of the American League’s best pitchers.
