Best NRFI Bets Today: The Pitchers to Back on Saturday, September 7

Best NRFI Bets Today

As we hit Saturday during a big weekend in the major leagues, we'll take a look at NRFI -- No Runs in the First Inning -- to bring us another fruitful night on the diamond.

(Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

We'll hit on an all-Sox affair in Boston where one elite arm will be complemented by one surprisingly-effective pitcher before heading to the NL to take a look at another Spencer Schwellenbach start and back a tough offensive matchup out West.

Let's check out some of the most profitable NRFI spots and get deeper into the slate, handing out MLB NRFI predictions for Saturday, September 7.

MLB NRFI Betting Prediction for White Sox vs Red Sox

I'm a noted fan of Cooper Criswell, and to this day I'm stunned the Red Sox ever booted him from the rotation in the first place.

• The right-hander has done nothing but pitch effectively to contact this season with a beefy 48.9% ground-ball rate and few walks, hardly being victimized at all by the longball.
• Criswell is cooking with just two earned runs against him in his last three appearances, spanning 12 innings, and now he'll draw one of the worst offenses in baseball.

Chicago owns an incredibly poor .070 Isolated Power over the last two weeks of play and it has swung very freely with a low 6.8% walk rate and too many strikeouts to feel comfortable believing in it here.

• Criswell now stands 11-5 to the NRFI this season and should be in a great spot against the White Sox, who rank dead last in baseball with .034 runs per game in the first inning.

If he can take care of his end of the bargain, this one should come in very nicely. Garrett Crochet remains one of the toughest pitchers to get to in baseball, and the Red Sox have not only struggled mightily against lefties but their Achilles heel all season long as been strikeouts.

Crochet should have the chance to rack up multiple third strikes early in this one against a free-swinging top of the order and get under the total here with ease.

NRFI Prediction: White Sox vs Red Sox NRFI (-120 at BetMGM)

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MLB NRFI Betting Prediction for Blue Jays vs Braves

Spencer Schwellenbach's season speaks for itself.

• After a tough start to the season in Double-A and some growing pains in his first few outings with the big-league club, he's turned into one of the very best arms in the National League and will carry a 3.06 Expected ERA and .224 Expected Batting Average into this one -- both bordering on elite territory.

The right-hander owns a splendid 14-2 NRFI record and has allowed one baserunner on average in the first inning of his last five starts, setting up nicely for another fast start against a Blue Jays team that continues to struggle driving the ball and has been mediocre in the second half.

• It's easy to believe in the righty here considering George Springer and Daulton Varsho have continued slumping over the last two weeks, hitting .206 and .222 respectively atop the order, and to make matters worse Addison Barger is still missing in action with an injury.

That brings us to Jose Berrios, who has cashed the NRFI in five straight starts and now stands 22-6 on the season. Michael Harris will greet him to start, getting on base in just 26% of plate appearances over the last two weeks, and behind him Whit Merrifield continues to struggle in a lost season.

I believe in Berrios here with what we've seen the first time through the order, and making matters sweeter is that the top of Atlanta's lineup has lacked production as it continues to flirt with missing out on the postseason.

NRFI Betting Prediction: Blue Jays vs Braves NRFI (-120 at FanDuel)

MLB NRFI Betting Prediction for Giants vs Padres

This is my favorite spot of the day, considering the Padres have struggled all season with ground-ball pitchers.

• Logan Webb hasn't been at his best this year, that's for sure, but he continues to be one of the most extreme ground-ballers and will deal to a lineup that's ranked 13th in OPS to ground-ball types and third against fly-ballers.

The production for San Diego has come later on in the order, and in a head-scratcher Jackson Merrill continues to lurk in the sixth or seventh spot.

• That should aid us in our quest for another NRFI this year, considering Fernando Tatis, Jr. continues to work his way back to full health with a .222 average over the last two weeks and Jurickson Profar has cooled significantly with a hit in just 15% of at bats in that same span.

Webb's been a solid 20-9 to the NRFI this year while Dylan Cease has been the worse of the two at 17-12, but the strikeout artist should be in a dream spot against a Giants team that has punched out in nearly 29% of plate appearances over the last two weeks.

Cease has allowed just one hit and one walk in the two first innings he's worked against the Giants with three strikeouts, and those outings came back in March when this team was at full strength.

San Francisco's struggles have been well-documented in the last month of play, and it should be minced meat here against a player who hunts swings and misses.

NRFI Prediction: Giants vs Padres NRFI (-135 at BetMGM)

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