Let’s take a look at some No Runs First Inning prop bet odds and picks for today’s game: Marlins vs. Braves.
Charlie Morton will have a tough act to follow after Spencer Strider’s 16 strikeout performance last night. However, he’ll have an opportunity to throw a gem of his own as he faces a Marlins lineup that has been one of the worst in baseball this season. They enter ranking in the bottom five in wRC+, wOBA, and team batting average. As you can imagine, those numbers are not a recipe for scoring in the first inning, in which Miami ranks dead last. Morton’s first-inning numbers are due to some rough early-season outings, but he’s pitched much better since the All-Star break. In seven second-half starts, he has a 3.27 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. We’ve also seen his strikeout numbers jump as he’s recorded 54 in 41 innings in that same span. Everything is trending Morton’s way for this matchup.
In addition to Morton pitching well, it also helps that his counterpart in this matchup is perhaps the best pitcher in baseball this season. Sandy Alcantara has had a career year as he enters with a 2.13 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and leads the league in innings pitched by a wide margin. His success starts in the first inning, where he’s been dominant. Through 26 starts, he holds a 1.73 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. As for his matchup, the Braves are actually a good team to target for NRFIs despite all their firepower. They have been slow starters this season as they come in, ranking 20th in first-inning runs per game.