The MLB has 13 games on the scoreboard for Monday to start the new work week with a fresh set of series all across the country. The Cubs and Rays get the action started at 4:10 p.m. ET in the Rays’ home opener, before five games start shortly after 6:00 p.m. ET and the remaining seven games are on the main Monday night slate after 7:00 p.m. ET. With so many options in play, bettors have many options when building a card for this Monday night — and few wagers are more exciting than the No Run First Inning (NRFI) props.
NRFI prop bets are extremely simple but can also be seriously difficult. Six outs without any scoring is all that is needed to cash in, but it’s hard to find a spot you can be confident will stay scoreless. This style of prop is quick-hitting, easy to track and supremely straightforward. Still, most days it’s easier said than done. Finding the right pitchers and the best value is crucial, so be sure to consider all the factors as you assemble your NRFI picks.
Be sure to check out the new NRFI Trends Tracker on DK Network as you make your selections this Monday. Taking a look at the options, here are my top three NRFI bets for Monday on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Reds at Marlins NRFI (-135)
The Reds are in Miami to start the week, as lefty Brandon Williamson and righty Janson Junk each make his second start of the season. The Reds have hit NRFI in six of their nine games, while the Marlins have only had four NFRI in their nine games.
Junk pitched in one of those NRFI games, keeping the White Sox scoreless in the first before giving up two runs on five hits in 4 1/3 innings. In his career, Junk has not allowed a run in 18 of his 24 first innings, with a 0.88 WHIP in the first innings of his 24 starts.
Williamson is the higher risk side of this NRFI play, but he also got through his first frame unscathed in his last start on Tuesday against the Pirates. He ended up giving up six runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings in his first big-league start in 560 days, but he was able to work around trouble in the first and has now completed a scoreless first inning in 20 of his 27 career outings.
Even though neither pitcher jumps off the page as dominant options, they typically start strong, so getting this at -135 feels like a strong value spot to start.
Padres at Pirates (-115)
In another 6:40 start, the Pittsburgh Pirates host the San Diego Padres, who finally got their offense going on Sunday in a win over the Red Sox. They’ll be in a tough spot to keep rolling, though, as they face young stud Bubba Chandler. They’ll counter with veteran German Marquez, making his second start since joining San Diego.
Chandler will get the ball first and has not allowed a run in the first inning in any of his last four starts. He didn’t get a win in his first start of the year but only allowed one unearned run in 4 1/3 innings against the Reds.
Marquez gave up four runs in three innings on eight hits in his Padres debut, which was a loss to the Giants. He looked good toward the end of spring training though, and he has a strong chance to bounce back with a better outing. The Pirates have done a good job scoring in the first inning this season, but I still like the value in this matchup in a chilly game in Pittsburgh.
Dodgers at Blue Jays (+100)
Let’s finish the day with a dangerous pick in the marquee matchup of Monday night. In a rematch of the World Series, the Dodgers roll into Toronto and take on the Blue Jays. In the first game of the series, the champs will give the ball to lefty Justin Wrobleski, while the Blue Jays go with former Dodger Max Scherzer. While both teams have potent offenses, they are each at or above the league average for NRFI this season. The Dodgers have hit six NRFI in nine games, while the Blue Jays have hit five, only scoring once in the first inning so far this season.
Scherzer will be making his second start of the year after holding the Rockies to one run on four hits and one walk while striking out four across six innings. He didn’t give up a run in the first inning of that start, and he has an impressive record of 74.3% NRFI in his 475 career starts. He looked sharp in that first outing, and even though he’ll have a much tougher task against the Dodgers, the veteran has a good chance to get through the first inning without a run against him.
Wrobleski is much less proven, but the 25-year-old lefty will get the call on Monday as the team moves from a five-man to a six-man rotation. Wrobleski has made eight career starts and has not allowed a run in the first inning of seven of those outings. He allowed three runs in four innings against the Guardians out of the bullpen last Sunday, and he’ll look to claim a spot in the rotation going forward with a strong showing on Monday night.
It’s high risk with so much power and potential production near the top of each batting order, but at even-money odds, I love the value in attacking this NRFI play Monday night.
