Top MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks & Odds for Royals vs. Tigers Friday, July 1 (2022)

Jul 1, 2022 - 4:59 PM

Let’s take a look at some No Runs First Inning prop bet odds and picks for today’s game: Royals vs. Tigers.

Top MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks & Odds: Royals vs. Tigers

Well, this certainly isn’t a preview of this year’s ALCS! These two teams enter Friday with a combined record of just 56-92, thus positioning themselves for top picks in next year’s draft. While these types of matchups don’t usually lead to the most entertaining games, it does lead to lower-scoring affairs, which is perfect here.

These two teams rank 27th (Royals) and 30th (Tigers) in runs per game. How about wRC+? 22nd and 30th. No matter how you slice it, these are two of the least-productive offenses in the league; fading them is generally a profitable strategy. Insert any pitching matchup here, and it’s likely that not a lot of runs will be scored.

However, this isn’t the most exciting pitching matchup, but it will get the job done. Royals starter Brad Keller may not strike many batters out (15.3% K). Still, he is limiting walks (7.8% BB) for the most part, while he is inducing a ground ball on over half of the batted balls against him, which is important when playing behind the 9th best defense in Outs Above Average (OAA) this season. As a pitcher who features his slider and four-seamer predominantly, facing a Tigers offense that ranks in the bottom-three in runs above average in both, and has been historically ineffective overall, is a plus.

Meanwhile, all indications are that Michael Pineda will be activated from the injured list to make this start. While it is always risky to bank on a pitcher coming off of injury, he was effective (4.36 SIERA) just a year ago and limited walks (4.6% BB) very well. Comerica Park limits home runs more than any other ballpark, according to Baseball Savant, and with most of the damage against him coming via the long ball, that is significant.

Really, this could have been stopped after demonstrating the issues of both offenses. That being said, Keller and Pineda offer enough intrigue to feel even more comfortable about this pick. In what should be a tight, low-scoring affair, expect that to show right away in the first inning.

Bet: Royals at Tigers NRFI

Best Player Prop Bet Rankings for Royals vs. Tigers

What are Player Props?
Player props refer to wagers that bettors can make based on player performance in a specific game. The majority of player props are built around the most common statistical benchmarks for a specific sport such as yards and touchdowns in football. Most player props are straight over/under plays that open at or near -110 and are adjusted based on where the money lands.

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