If you’re looking for NRFI best bets today, you’re in the right place! I’ve got you covered with my top No Run First Inning picks for Tuesday, April 7, and we’ll break down the MLB odds on Hard Rock Bet. Let’s dive into it.
NRFI Best Bets Today for Tuesday, April 7
I’m hunting for the best NRFI picks today, and I found three first-inning matchups on Hard Rock Bet that are standing out:
- Padres @ Pirates
- Cubs @ Rays
- Phillies @ Giants
NRFI Pick: San Diego Padres at Pittsburgh Pirates (-170)
This is a heavily juiced NRFI prop, and honestly, it should be. According to NRFI-Central, Paul Skenes covered his NRFI side in 93% of his outings last season, going 30-2 on the year. That’s an absurd clip for any starting pitcher, and it makes the -170 price tag a little easier to stomach — especially as a same game parlay leg.
On the other side, Nick Pivetta isn’t exactly a liability. According to FanGraphs splits data, opponents hit just .157 against him the first time through the order last season, with a 28% strikeout rate in that split.
Like most batter vs. pitcher matchups, once hitters see him a second time, the numbers shift — but that’s not our concern here.
The game total sits at 6.5, which tells you the market expects a relatively low-scoring affair overall. At -170, I’m probably using this as a parlay leg instead of betting it straight, but it seems like too good of a spot not to mention.
NRFI Pick: Chicago Cubs at Tampa Bay Rays (-125)
This No Run First Inning bet comes at a much friendlier price, and the pitching matchup supports it. Javier Assad gets the ball for a Cubs rotation that’s been banged up early, and he’ll need to carry a heavier workload for the foreseeable future.
Assad posted a 6-1 NRFI record in 2025, and his first-time-through-the-order numbers were legitimately strong — a 2.56 FIP in that split, per FanGraphs. He’s not a big strikeout guy, but he doesn’t need to be for an NRFI bet.
Drew Rasmussen toes the rubber for Tampa Bay, and while he rarely goes deep into games, his 2025 profile is exactly what you want for a first-inning play.
Per Baseball Savant, Rasmussen ranked in the 73rd percentile in xERA last season while posting a minuscule 6.3% barrel rate and a 6.3% walk rate. He wasn’t giving away free bases, and he wasn’t getting barreled up — that’s a great NRFI betting profile.
Both teams currently sit in the middle of the pack in first-inning runs per game in 2026, so neither lineup is running especially hot out of the gate.
NRFI Bets Today: Philadelphia Phillies at San Francisco Giants (-155)
This is a NRFI matchup where the ballpark does some heavy lifting. Oracle Park is notoriously pitcher-friendly, ranking just 22nd in park factors for hitters on Baseball Savant last season — and it plays even better at night. That matters here.
Cristopher Sanchez could very well be a Cy Young candidate by October. Through his first two starts of 2026, the left-hander has struck out 17 batters while allowing just one run across 11.1 innings pitched. He hasn’t missed a beat since last season.
Robbie Ray is the only real question mark here, and his NRFI success rate wasn’t at an elite clip last year. But the matchup helps him. Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber both bat left-handed, stripping them of the platoon advantage against the veteran southpaw.
Assuming they slot toward the top of the Phillies’ lineup as usual, Ray gets a favorable look in the frame that matters most for this bet.
Good luck with your NRFI picks today!
All referenced odds are subject to change.
