2 Best MLB NRFI Bets on Wednesday 6/11/25

The MLB season is an annual marathon that gives us months of daily betting markets to consider.

While traditional player props like home runs and strikeouts remain popular options, one market that's gained steam is betting whether or not no runs will be scored in the first inning -- aka a No Run First Inning (NRFI) bet.

On FanDuel Sportsbook's MLB odds, we can find NRFI odds listed as 1st Inning Over/Under 0.5 Runs odds under each MLB game.

Where can we find value in this unique prop market today?

Please note: lines and projections are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.

NRFI Betting Picks for Today

Atlanta Braves at Milwaukee Brewers

Under 1st Inning 0.5 Runs (-115)

The Atlanta Braves take on the Milwaukee Brewers this afternoon at 2:10 pm ET, and as of this writing, the matchup has the day's lowest total (8.0). The Braves rank 15th in YRFI rate (28.8%) while the Brewers are a dismal 28th (23.5%), which further pushes us to a scoreless opening frame.

Atlanta right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach is enjoying another quality campaign, and he's been putting up sparkling numbers the first time through the order with a 2.30 xFIP, 29.9% strikeout rate, 3.4% walk rate, and 51.3% ground-ball rate. This has helped him allow first-inning runs in just 4 of 13 starts. Schwellenbach should be able to pitch a clean first inning against a Brewers lineup that hasn't been particularly scary to begin games this year.

Milwaukee's Chad Patrick has given up first-inning runs in 3 of 13 starts, and while his 2.84 ERA is probably unsustainable, his 6.0% barrel rate (78th percentile) has contributed to him still showing a solid 3.65 xERA. Atlanta is just 21st in first-inning runs per game, which is another positive sign for Patrick.

On a slate showing a lot of higher totals, this looks like one of the most appealing spots for a NRFI.

New York Yankees at Kansas City Royals

Under 1st Inning 0.5 Runs (-120)

The New York Yankees quickly squashed a NRFI yesterday with an Aaron Judge home run, but we're going back to the well, as the Kansas City Royals will have their ace on the mound tonight.

Left-hander Kris Bubic has strong metrics pretty much across the board, and even if it's unlikely he can maintain his 1.43 ERA, it's hard to complain about a 2.81 xERA. His K rate jumps up to 28.7% the first time through the order, and that's helped him allow just one run all season in the first inning.

While the fear of an early Judge home run always looms, that's less likely with Bubic on the mound. The southpaw suppressed home runs as a reliever last season (0.59 HR/9), and that's carried over into this campaign (0.36 HR/9), as he's given up just three dingers total thus far. Even with some assumed regression due to a 4.3% HR/FB rate, projection systems on FanGraphs universally give him a low HR/9 the rest of the way.

New York will deploy righty Clarke Schmidt as their starter, and while he doesn't have Bubic's credentials, he has the easier matchup against a Royals squad that's tied for 18th in YRFI rate (26.9%) and is 23rd in first-inning runs per game (0.39). Over nine starts, Schmidt has produced a fantastic 29.6% strikeout rate the first time through the order. Although that's come alongside a worrisome 13.6% walk rate, the Royals have the third-worst walk rate (6.2%) in the opening frame.

Our Jim Sannes likes Bubic's chances of going over 5.5 strikeouts tonight, which is another positive sign that he can keep the Yankees off the board in the first inning. Add in Schmidt being a strong candidate to shut down the Royals early, and this should lead to zeros on the scoreboard to begin the game.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.