NRFI Today: Best First Inning Picks and Predictions for Friday, May 15
Friday begins rivalry weekend for many teams across the league. The I-70 series between the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals begins; the Subway Series between the New York Yankees and New York Mets opens; and the Los Angeles Dodgers head down the 5 to face the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim.
Each game Friday presents first pitch in the evening, so unlike Thursday, you have some time to select the best options for NRFI. Here are three that we pinpoint for profitability.
All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are subject to change. DraftKings does not sponsor this content.
Best NRFI Bets Today
New York Yankees at New York Mets NRFI (-140)
You may have to proceed with caution when saying Yankees young hurler Cam Schlittler's name in public. That's nothing compared to the caution opposing hitters should have. He's 5-1 with a 1.35 ERA, and opposing hitters have just a .177 batting average against him. Opposing him is Clay Holmes, who is 4-3 with a 1.86 ERA on the season. Holmes has allowed just two runs in eight first frames. Schlittler has allowed a single run in the first inning through nine starts.
Boston Red Sox at Atlanta Braves NRFI (-135)
The Red Sox haven't had the start of the season they'd hoped for, but young lefty Connelly Early has been impressive with a 3.16 ERA. Atlanta counters with stud righty Spencer Strider, who's making his third start off the injured list. He's coming off his best start in a while with six shutout frames, with one hit and two walks allowed, while fanning eight. Early has a 2.25 ERA in the first inning through eight starts.
Chicago Cubs at Chicago White Sox NRFI (-130)
The Cubs throw offseason acquisition RHP Edward Cabrera Friday against righty Sean Burke. Cabrera hasn't allowed an earned run in the first inning all season. Burke got lit up for six runs in his last start, none in the first, but threw 13 1/3 shutout frames in his previous two starts. Neither pitcher will wow you with their name value, but there is value with this NRFI.
What Does NRFI Mean in Baseball?
The term NRFI indicates no runs scored in the first inning. Its opposite, YRFI, indicates yes, a run will be scored in the first inning. It doesn't matter if the run qualifies as an earned run or not. If a run crosses the plate in the first inning for either team, the wager loses for the NRFI side and wins for the YRFI side.
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This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 4:30 AM.