NRFI Today: 3 NRFI Picks, Predictions, Best Bets for Monday, August 17, 2026

Today's Top NRFI Picks at a Glance

• Tigers vs. Pirates NRFI
• Padres vs. Mets NRFI
• Braves vs. Twins NRFI

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 0.5 Runs under the Innings tab for each MLB game.

Please note: lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. You can also check out our MLB player news page to stay up to date with lineup news and injuries.

Check out the top home run picks for today.

NRFI Bets Today: No Run First Inning Picks

Tigers vs. Pirates NRFI (-118)

Framber Valdez hasn't produced his usual overall numbers this season, but the Pittsburgh Pirates are one of Monday's better matchups for a left-handed starter.

Valdez owns a 4.26 ERA and 1.39 WHIP across 133 innings. His strikeout rate sits at 18.0% with a 10.0% K-BB rate, but the Pirates strike out 26.0% of the time against left-handed pitching and rank 24th in wOBA in the split. Valdez doesn't need to be at his peak if Pittsburgh continues to struggle against southpaws.

Carmen Mlodzinski gets the more difficult assignment against the Detroit Tigers‘ offense. The Pirates’ right-hander owns a 3.79 ERA and 1.40 WHIP through 99.2 innings along with an 18.0% strikeout rate and 10.0% K-BB rate. Detroit ranks 11th in wOBA against righties and carries a 23.0% strikeout rate.

There's more risk on the Pittsburgh side than I'd like, but Valdez's matchup with a Pirates lineup that has struggled against lefties is the main driver here.

Padres vs. Mets NRFI (-146)

Walker Buehler’s overall 4.88 ERA makes this matchup easy to overlook, but his first-inning results have been considerably better. Buehler has kept opponents scoreless in the opening inning in 20 of 24 starts this season, an 83.3% rate.

The matchup helps. The New York Mets rank 27th in wOBA against right-handed pitching.

Nolan McLean gets a somewhat tougher San Diego Padres lineup, but he owns a 3.42 ERA, 28.0% strikeout rate and 19.0% K-BB rate through 136.2 innings.

San Diego has scored in the first inning in only 23.2% of its games this season, the third-lowest rate in MLB. That combination makes Padres-Mets my favorite NRFI on the board.

Braves vs. Twins NRFI (+112)

Martín Pérez has quietly put together an excellent season for the Atlanta Braves. The veteran left-hander enters Monday with a 2.96 ERA and 1.15 WHIP across 106.1 innings.

Pérez isn't overpowering, posting a 19.0% strikeout rate and 9.0% K-BB rate, but he has consistently limited overall damage. Also, the Minnesota Twins rank just 18th in wOBA against left-handed pitching with a 23.0% strikeout rate.

Bailey Ober is the riskier side. He carries a 4.64 ERA through 99 innings, although his 1.23 WHIP is considerably better than the ERA. Ober owns a 16.0% strikeout rate and 10.0% K-BB rate.

Atlanta ranks 12th in wOBA against righties and has long-ball threats early in the order. Still, Pérez's excellent run prevention and Ober's ability to limit baserunners make Braves-Twins worth considering at these plus-money odds.

NRFI Betting — Frequently Asked Questions

What does NRFI mean in baseball betting? NRFI stands for No Run First Inning. It's a baseball bet where you wager that neither team will score in the first inning. The opposite bet — at least one run scored in the first inning — is called YRFI (Yes Run First Inning).

How does a NRFI bet work? A NRFI bet is settled when the first inning is completed. If both teams fail to score, your bet wins. If either team scores one or more runs, the bet loses. The final game score has no bearing on the outcome.

What is the difference between NRFI and YRFI? NRFI bets that no runs will score in the first inning, while YRFI bets that at least one run will.

What stats should I look at for NRFI bets? The most important factors are usually each starting pitcher's first-inning ERA, WHIP, and strikeout rate (K%). You should also look at each team's first-inning batting average and on-base percentage as well as individual player stats for the first few batters in the lineup for each team.

Can I parlay NRFI bets? Yes, FanDuel lets you parlay NRFIs across multiple games on the same slate.

Where can you find NRFI betting lines on FanDuel? You can find NRFI odds listed as 1st Inning 0.5 Runs under the Innings tab for each MLB 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.