It’s September, which means the pennant chase is heating up across Major League Baseball. 14 games are set for Tuesday, with 28 teams taking the diamond. For those looking to place a wager on tonight’s action, there are plenty of options. That includes an NRFI, the quickest bet in all of baseball. No runs in the first inning sounds easy, but there’s several factors to consider. Which pitchers do well, and which don’t, at the start of games? Figuring that out is crucial to any NRFI success.
Ahead of Tuesday’s MLB slate, here are three NRFI bets worth placing on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Guardians vs. Red Sox NRFI (-125)
One of the more important of today’s matchups, Guardians-Red Sox should see some solid starting pitching. For the home team, it’ll be Garrett Crochet on the bump. It’s been a year to remember for the southpaw, acquired last offseason from the White Sox. Over 172.1 innings of work, the All-Star owns a 2.40 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 214 strikeouts. That dominance tends to start early in games. Crochet has allowed a first inning run in just five of his 27 outings this season. In comparison, Cleveland’s offense is averaging the league’s third-fewest runs per game (3.85).
For the Guardians, it’ll be Slade Cecconi toeing the slab. It’s been an up-and-down 2025 campaign for the righty. Despite a red-hot month of July, the third-year pro has notched a middling 4.41 ERA and 1.27 WHIP. Still, the youngster is more than capable of delivering a quality outing. Cecconi’s biggest issue is pitching deep into games. Fortunately for us, that doesn’t matter for NRFI purposes. Opponents have produced a first inning run only three out of 18 times against Cleveland’s starter. Even against a stellar Red Sox lineup, I’m willing to bet Cecconi starts off scoreless.
White Sox vs. Twins NRFI (-110)
You’d be forgiven for ignoring tonight’s White Sox-Twins battle. These two AL Central cellar-dwellers aren’t playing for anything other than pride. Still, that doesn’t mean we can’t find an angle in this contest. Minnesota will hand the ball to Simeon Woods-Richardson, making his 19th appearance of the season. During that time, he’s recorded a 4.59 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 71 strikeouts. Those numbers aren’t great, but they aren’t bad either. However, the 24-year-old has accounted for an 82% NRFI rate over 17 starts. Against a weak Chicago lineup, there’s a good chance that continues on Tuesday.
The visitors will counter with Davis Martin, one of the team’s most reliable arms. Through 116.0 innings of work, the third-year pro has delivered a 4.03 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 85 strikeouts. When he last faced the Twins on August 23rd, Martin tossed five innings of two-run ball. Given how thin this lineup is, a similar performance could be in store on Tuesday. Minnesota has failed to score a first inning run in each of their previous four games. Expect Martin to come out firing against a familiar foe tonight.
Athletics vs. Cardinals NRFI (-115)
Another battle with minimal stakes, Athletics-Cardinals doesn’t offer up much intrigue. The biggest headline in this one is the return of A’s hurler Luis Severino. The former All-Star has been sidelined since August 6th with a left oblique strain. When healthy, his results have been mixed (4.82 ERA, 1.34 WHIP). However, that’s due in large part to playing at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park. In 11 outings on the road, Sevy has a 3.17 ERA. His opponent tonight, St. Louis, has scored the second-fewest runs in baseball since July 1st (203).
The Cardinals will counter with a veteran arm of their own. Miles Mikolas is probably the sport’s blandest pitcher; any fly-ball specialist with a 5.04 ERA doesn’t provide much excitement. However, he’s the reverse Severino. In 13 appearances at home, the two-time All-Star has posted a 3.57 ERA. The Athletics have several standout hitters in their lineup this season. With that being said, they haven’t scored a first inning run in four games. At a modest price of -115, I’m willing to back both Mikolas and Severino on Tuesday night.
