NRFI Best Bets Today: 2 MLB NRFI Picks for Friday 5/8/26

Today's Top NRFI Picks at a Glance

• Angels vs. Blue Jays NRFI
• Yankees vs. Brewers 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 Betting Picks for Today

NRFI Pick: Yankees vs. Brewers

Jacob Misiorowski vs. Max Fried (7:40 PM ET)

This is the strongest NRFI on Friday's entire slate, anchored by arguably the two best starting pitchers on the board tonight. Both Jacob Misiorowski and Max Fried are having elite 2026 seasons, and their first-inning profiles back up that billing with hard data.

Misiorowski has posted a 2.84 ERA in 38 innings this season with a league-leading 59 strikeouts. He is in the 99th percentile in average fastball velocity at 99.1 miles per hour and leads all starting pitchers in the majors with 109 pitches of 100 miles per hour or more thrown this season — the next closest starter has just 36.

In the opening frame of any start, Misiorowski's arsenal is at its absolute peak: the four-seamer is at maximum velocity, his wipeout slider is most deceptive before opposing hitters have game-day calibration, and his curveball — which generates elite chase rates at the zone's bottom — is filthy. He struck out the first five batters he faced in his Red Sox start and averages 98.8 mph with his fastball across the season. Against a New York Yankees lineup seeing that high-spin triple-digit heat for the first time in the game, scoring in the first inning is a genuine challenge.

On the other side of the matchup, Max Fried boasts a 2.39 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and a 43:15 K:BB ratio over 52.2 innings in 2026 and sets up against a Milwaukee Brewers team that has struggled against southpaws with a .582 OPS versus left-handed pitching this season. Fried's six-pitch mix — cutter, sinker, four-seamer, sweeper, curveball, changeup — is at maximum deception in the opening frame before Milwaukee's lineup can calibrate. The Brewers' lineup, while talented, ranks in the bottom third of MLB in OPS against left-handed pitching — making them a lineup Fried can navigate cleanly in the opening frame.

NRFI Pick: Blue Jays vs. Angels NRFI

Dylan Cease vs. Reid Detmers ( 7:07 PM ET)

Dylan Cease's first-inning profile is the second-best NRFI anchor on Friday's board, and the numbers are elite. Through seven starts, Cease owns a 3.02 SIERA, 33.7% K rate and 15.5% swinging-strike rate. Simply put, he's been one of the game's best pitchers.

In the opening frame, Cease's four-seam fastball plays at maximum velocity and his slider generates its peak horizontal movement before Los Angeles Angels hitters have any timing reference. He's faced the Halos once this year and punched out 12 over five innings in a dominant outing.

The Angels' side of this equation benefits from Reid Detmers, who is working his way back into the starting rotation in 2026 after a season primarily in relief. Detmers holds a 2.82 expected ERA, 26.2% strikeout rate and 12.9% swinging-strike rate. His actual ERA of 4.28 is masking how good he's been so far.

His first-inning profile is encouraging. Detmers' mid-90s four-seamer and his improved changeup are at their most effective in the opening frame when the Toronto Blue Jays' lineup faces them cold. Toronto's order features disciplined hitters like George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who are known to take pitches and work deep counts rather than ambush starters immediately — a tendency that suppresses quick first-inning damage even against below-average arms.

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.