NRFIs — betting on whether or not a run will score in the first inning — have become the darling of the baseball betting world this season. NRFI stands for No Runs First Inning (NRFI). The opposite, YRFI, stands for Yes Runs First Inning. These NRFI bets and props are ideal for bettors who love wagers that settle quickly.
In this article, we’ll provide you with our top picks for NRFI bets and plays for the day, based on our expert analysis and research. So, let’s look at today’s best NRFI bets and the rationale.
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Best NRFI Bets Today: Thursday, August 28
Our analysts break down the best NRFI bets, props and YRFI picks for today’s slate.
Chicago Cubs at San Francisco Giants 1st Inning Under 0.5 Runs
Logan Webb is a fire-breathing giant at home. According to FanGraphs, in 189.1 innings at home since last year, Webb has a 2.80 ERA, 2.84 xFIP, 1.10 WHIP, 4.3 BB%, and 22.7 K%.
Webb is also outstanding out of the gate. San Francisco’s ace has a 2.54 ERA, 2.37 xFIP, 1.32 WHIP, 6.2 BB%, and 29.6 K% in his first time through the order this season. Furthermore, Webb has thrown a scoreless first inning in 20 of 26 starts, including 12 of 14 at home and five straight entering today.
Shota Imanaga has been lucky on the road. The lefty’s 3.12 ERA in 132.2 innings on the road since last year overstates how well he’s pitched, as evidenced by his 4.30 xFIP.
Nonetheless, he’s a reliable hurler early in games. Imanaga has twirled a scoreless first inning in 14 of 19 starts in 2025. He’s tossed a scoreless first inning in seven of 10 starts on the road, and opened with a scoreless first inning in four straight starts entering today.
What to play: Cubs at Giants 1st Inning Under 0.5 Runs
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Arizona Diamondbacks at Milwaukee Brewers 1st Inning Under 0.5 Runs
Jose Quintana is admittedly one of MLB’s luckiest pitchers this year. The veteran lefty’s 3.32 ERA in 20 starts in 2025 is in stark contrast to his 5.02 xERA, 4.78 xFIP, and 4.92 SIERA.
Even though Quintana is lucky, he’s admittedly sharp early in games. The lefty has a 2.47 ERA and 4.47 xFIP in his first time through the order this season. The gap between his ERA and xFIP is less alarming when considering his 2.98 ERA and 3.59 xFIP in his first time through the order as a starter in his career. The crafty lefty has opened 14 of 20 starts this year with a scoreless first inning.
Nabil Crismatt is a 30-year-old hurler with 114 career relief appearances and two career starts. He started a game for the Padres in 2022 and one for the Diamondbacks in Colorado on August 17.
Crismatt threw a scoreless first inning in both of his career starts. Interestingly, he didn’t allow a baserunner in his first trip through the order against the Rockies. Crismatt’s background as a reliever should help him fire a scoreless first inning.
What to play: Diamondbacks at Brewers 1st Inning Under 0.5 Runs
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What Is NRFI Betting?
NRFI betting is placing a bet on two baseball teams to not score in the 1st inning. This includes both the top and bottom halves of the inning. So if the visiting ball club is held scoreless through the top of the 1st inning but the home team scores in the bottom, the NRFI is a losing wager. But if both teams are held scoreless through the first inning, the NRFI is a winning bet.
What Is YRFI Betting?
YRFI betting is the opposite of NRFI betting. YRFI stands for “Yes Run First Inning.”
This bet can literally be a winner on the first pitch. For example, if the visiting club’s leadoff hitter rips a homer, the YRFI is a winning bet.
But, of course, a homer isn’t required for a winning YRFI bet. As long as a run is scored in the 1st inning by either the home or away team, the bet is a winner.
How Often Does NRFI Hit?
The success rate for No Run First Inning bets is contingent on many factors, primarily those in the strategy section.
For example, first-inning NRFI wagers are likelier to hit at LoanDepot Park than Coors Field because Coors Field is more homerun-friendly. Additionally, when aces oppose one another, it’s more likely for an NRFI bet to win than when a pair of struggling pitchers face top-shelf lineups.
But, of course, these factors are all weighed by sportsbooks when setting lines. So the odds are shorter for ‘No Runs First Inning’ when elite pitchers face each other. As a result, it pays to dig deeper and factor in all of the tips highlighted in the strategy section.
Where To Place NRFI Bets
The following sportsbooks have more than enough options to satisfy your NRFI bets needs. As outlined before, always shop around for the best price when it comes to NRFI bets.
On top of that, our team spent the time to find the best available bonus offers at each listed sportsbook. If you are new to any of these betting apps, be sure to use our exclusive links and promo codes to claim your free bets:
Top Sportsbooks For NRFI Bets
- FanDuel Sportsbook (click here for our full review)
- Caesars Sportsbook (click here for our full review)
- BetMGM Sportsbook (click here for our full review)
NRFI Betting Strategy Tips
There are several factors to consider for NRFI betting. The weather is one factor. For instance, a baseball carries farther in hot and humid weather, increasing the chances of a homer. Additionally, wind conditions can also impact the odds of a first inning run.
Take Park Factor Into Consideration
Ballpark factors are another integral nugget of info. FantasyPros has three-year park factors, and ESPN has same-season data gamblers can access. The odds of a run scoring in the first are the greatest in ballparks with high park factors for runs.
In addition, the odds of a round-tripper are the greatest at a homer-friendly park against a fly-ball-centric or homer-prone pitcher. Conversely, scoring a run in a pitcher-friendly park is more challenging.
Consider The Lineup
Lineup composition is a significant consideration, too. However, there are layers to this piece of info. For example, the greater the quality of hitters at the top of a lineup, the trickier it is for a pitcher to avoid surrendering a run in the first inning.
Look At Pitching Splits
The handedness of the hitters in the top slots in a lineup is essential to note. For example, is a lineup filled exclusively with righties in the top five spots and opposing a right-handed pitcher who dominates in same-handed matchups?
According to FanGraphs, in 2021, Corbin Burnes allowed the lowest wOBA (.215) to right-handed batters among qualified pitchers. Thus, righty-laden lineups would have struggled to get the better of Burnes. Conversely, Patrick Corbin coughed up the highest wOBA (.387) to righties, which would have made him an attractive pitcher to bet YRFI against even with a mediocre lineup that’s top-heavy with righties.
Look At Hitting Stats
You can find how each offense ranks by runs scored in the first inning at TeamRankings.com. This list shows you how often each team scores in the first inning. Looking at the last few seasons, the median is 28.79%.
This is a helpful list, because sometimes high-powered offenses struggle in the first inning. Consider this example from last year: The Giants rank fifth in runs per game at 4.80. So they are a good offense, right? Not when it comes to scoring in the first inning! The Giants only record a first inning run 22.73% of the time. That ranks 26th of 30 total teams.
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