We live in a society of instant gratification, and if that’s that way to like to bet, there’s really nothing better in MLB than a NRFI wager. Why lock in for nine whole innings when you really only have to watch one, right?
We have 11 games on the MLB docket this evening in what shapes up as a very west coast slate. Here are my two best No Run First Inning picks on DraftKings Sportsbook for Monday’s action on the diamond.
Kansas City Royals at Cleveland Guardians NRFI (-115)
There’s two parts to my thinking with this NRFI bet. First and foremost, the Guardians can not hit — at all. I could easily use this opportunity to say something nice about Ryan Bergert, who has pitched to a sterling 2.61 ERA across 69.0 innings in 2025, but instead, let’s just rip on Cleveland’s complete inability to score runs. Across the past 30 days, the Guardians sit dead-last in MLB in batting average (.203), OBP (.267), wOBA (.263) and wRC+ (65). It’s not just that they’re last, either. It’s how far away they are from the 29th team in that span, as well. Jose Ramirez aside, there’s simply no one to fear in this lineup.
The other aspect of this bet is Slade Cecconi. Generally speaking, I’m not going out of my way to back the success of a pitcher who allows 1.84 opponent home runs per nine and is rocking a 5.71 xERA, yet there is something about Cecconi’s splits that are worth exploring. Even in his poor outings, like last week’s seven-run disaster against the Red Sox, Cecconi generally doesn’t run into trouble in the first inning. In fact, only three of the 22 long balls he’s conceded in 2025 have come in his first trip through an opposing lineup. Cecconi isn’t all that great, but he’s tended to be at his best early in starts.
Arizona Diamondbacks at San Francisco Giants NRFI (-125)
These two lineups have actually been producing quite well over the past month, as each team attempts a last ditch effort to sneak into the final Wild Card spot in the National League. That said, Oracle Park remains one of the most difficult places in MLB to hit a home run according the Baseball Savant’s Park Factors, and we’ve got ourselves a very decent pitching matchup in the Bay on Monday evening. The Giants will send ace Logan Webb to the mound, while the Diamondbacks will counter with Nabil Crismatt.
Webb is the 50% of these probables that needs no explanation. The right-hander is in the midst of arguably the greatest season of his career in 2025, registering a 3.17 ERA with a 2.67 FIP that is the fourth-lowest qualified mark in all of baseball. Meanwhile, Crismatt has only made four appearances at the MLB level this season, yet he’s made them count, amassing a 2.14 ERA and a 3.24 xERA over 21.0 innings. While I have my doubts that the 30-year-old journeyman can keep this going, Crismatt has worked a scoreless first inning in two of his three starts. That’s good enough for me.
