Best NRFI Bets Today: 3 No Run First Inning MLB Picks for Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Today's Top NRFI Picks at a Glance

• Nationals at Guardians NRFI
• Phillies at Padres NRFI
• Braves at Red Sox 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.

What are the top home run picks for today?

NRFI Picks: No Run First Inning Bets for Today

NRFI Pick 1: Nationals at Guardians — No Run First Inning | 1:10 PM ET

Pitchers: PJ Poulin (Nationals) vs. Gavin Williams (Guardians)

In his last start, Williams struck out four of the first five batters he faced and went on to strike out 11 across seven innings while generating 18 whiffs on 100 pitches. Williams' four-seam fastball tops out near 100 mph and operates at peak velocity and deception in the first inning when his arm is freshest and opposing hitters are coldest.

The Washington Nationals present a favorable road-lineup NRFI profile on Wednesday's slate. Their offense has been one of the least productive road units in the NL this season, and they should have a tough time creating a lot of first-inning traffic versus Williams.

PJ Poulin is opening for the Nats, and he's had a scoreless outing in three of his previous four starts. He'll see a Guardians offense that is 20th in wOBA this year, so it's a pretty nice matchup for him.

NRFI Pick 2: Phillies at Padres — No Run First Inning | 4:10 PM ET

Pitchers: Cristopher Sanchez (Phillies) vs. Walker Buehler (Padres)

Both starters bring specific first-inning profiles that complement each other in supporting a scoreless opening frame from both sides.

Cristopher Sanchez's first-inning profile is built on his fastball-slider combination at peak deception before San Diego's lineup has any game-day calibration against his southpaw release. His career-high 11.1 K/9 this season confirms that he is generating elite swing-and-miss production across all inning segments, and his walk rate — significantly lower than his strikeout rate implies — means first-inning traffic from free passes is unlikely.

Walker Buehler putting up a zero is a tougher sell, but he's got a great matchup against a Phillies offense that is a brutal 27th in wOBA this season.

Petco Park can help, too, as it is one of the best pitcher parks in the game.

NRFI Pick 3: Braves at Red Sox — No Run First Inning | 6:45 PM ET

Pitchers: Bryce Elder (Braves) vs. Connelly Early (Red Sox)

Elder is off to a very strong start to the 2026 season, putting up career-best marks in SIERA (3.88) and K rate (22.0%). He's been especially lights out on the road, holding hitters to a .201 wOBA in the split.

Today, Elder faces a Boston offense that sits 24th in wOBA.

Early starts on the other side for Boston. The Braves' lineup, while talented, features hitters who tend to be methodical and patient rather than first-pitch aggressive. Early owns a 3.55 SIERA over his brief MLB career.

The 7.5 total is tied for Wednesday's lowest, so oddsmakers are expecting Elder and Early to do well. I like both to put up a zero in the first.

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 are the best NRFI picks for May 27, 2026? The three best NRFI bets on Wednesday are Nationals at Guardians (Gavin Williams), Phillies at Padres (Sanchez vs. Buehler at Petco), and Braves at Red Sox (Bryce Elder). All available at sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/mlb.

Why is Bryce Elder a good NRFI bet today? Elder has posted a 1.50 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 29 strikeouts in 30 innings across five starts to open the 2026 season, a significant improvement from his 5.30 ERA across 156 innings in 2025. His first-inning profile at elite efficiency — nearly one strikeout per inning — makes first-inning traffic from free passes structurally unlikely.

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.