If you aren’t interested in a bet that will take 9 innings, one of the shortest-lasting bets you can make in an MLB game is if a run will be scored in the first inning. All it takes is 6 outs to glory, and one swing of the bat can make or break your bet. There is also a lot of value in these bets because the odds are usually very well-priced, and if you’re not a fan of sweating out your bets for 3 hours then this one will take only about 15 minutes to win or lose. Before we dive in, don’t forget to check out our free MLB picks for every game on Sunday.
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Arizona Diamondbacks vs Miami Marlins: NRFI (-140)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.
There are several premier pitching matchups on Sunday, but this series finale matchup might be the best. It features the NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara against Zac Gallen, who finished a few places behind Alcantara in the voting. Besides being great for the entire outing, these two pitchers were particularly excellent in the first inning last year. Alcantara was fantastic against the opposing top of the order with a 1.69 ERA and a .167 opponent batting average in the first frame, and that success has continued this season. Through 3 starts, Alcantara has faced the minimum 9 batters without allowing a hit and recording 3 strikeouts in the opening frame.
Gallen went from a decent option in a rotation to a certified stud last season. He solidified himself as the ace of the staff while also becoming one of the most reliable NRFI pitchers in the game. That has held true for the beginning of this season as well since Gallen has held hitters to a 1-for-10 average at the plate. Five of the 9 outs have been via strikeout, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Gallen rack up another strikeout or two on Sunday. The top of the Miami usually has Jazz Chisholm, Luis Arraez and Garrett Cooper, and those 3 hitters are a combined 1-for-8 with 2 strikeouts against Gallen in their careers. It’s a little pricey, but it’s worth the juice in my eyes.
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Baltimore Orioles vs Chicago White Sox: NRFI (-120)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.
This NRFI is the perfect combination of premier pitching and slow-starting offenses. The White Sox have scored a first inning run in just 1 of their last 7 games, while the Orioles have been held scoreless in the first frame in their last 4 straight. I’m slightly more worried about Baltimore’s offense compared to Chicago’s, but that worry goes away with the pitching matchup. Dylan Cease will make his 4th start of the season on Sunday, and to say his season has started well would be a massive understatement. In 16.1 innings, opponents are hitting .102 with a 34.8% strikeout rate against Cease. Those are video game-like numbers, and it all starts with a strong first inning. Opponents are 1-for-10 with 8 strikeouts in the first frame against Cease, and that dominance is hard to ignore.
Grayson Rodriguez now has 2 MLB career starts under his belt which means his nerves should be going down. The highly-touted prospect has not had the greatest start to his big league career statistics-wise, as a few walks and well-timed hits have created a 6.75 ERA for Rodriguez. However, he will face a slumping White Sox lineup that will be without Tim Anderson and Yoan Moncada. The injury bug has found its way back into Chicago’s locker room early this season and has created a subpar lineup. In the last week, the White Sox rank 27th in batting average, 30th in on-base percentage and 29th in OPS. The White Sox are more of a second-half team which creates value on the NRFI in the South Side of Chicago.
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