NRFI Picks Today: Best MLB No Run First Inning Prop Bets for Thursday, May 21, 2026

Today's Top NRFI Picks at a Glance

• Guardians vs Tigers NRFI
• Braves vs Marlins NRFI
• Blue Jays vs Yankees 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 Predictions and Best Bets: No Run First Inning Picks for Today

Atlanta Braves at Miami Marlins NRFI

Spencer Strider (ATL, Away) — RHP

• ERA: 2.45 | K/9: 11.0 | WHIP: 1.23 | xERA: 2.89

Strider's NRFI profile is as good as it gets on Thursday's slate. Through 14.2 innings this season, the Braves' ace is generating swing-and-miss at an 11.0 K/9 clip — meaning opposing batters are struggling to put the ball in play, let alone score. His four-seam fastball sits in the upper-90s with elite vertical ride, and his slider grades out as an elite put-away pitch when located down and away to right-handed hitters. The Marlins' top-of-order hitters have poor chase rates against elevated fastballs, which plays directly into Strider's arsenal.

In first innings specifically, Strider has been economical, largely keeping the ball in the strike zone and inducing early-count contact or generating strikeouts. The one concern is an elevated walk rate — but even with those free passes, a first-inning run is unlikely unless he strings a walk with a hard-contact hit, a combination Miami's lineup hasn't produced regularly this season.

Sandy Alcantara (MIA, Home) — RHP

• ERA: 3.53 | K/Game: 4.5 | Record: 3-2 | Starts: 10

Alcantara brings a complementary NRFI profile that makes the double-sided approach to this bet compelling. The 2022 NL Cy Young winner has shown durability and control in 2026, pitching at least six innings in eight of ten starts. His most recent outing — six innings, one unearned run, six strikeouts against Tampa Bay — confirmed that his secondary pitch feel remains sharp. His sinker generates ground balls at a high rate, and the Atlanta lineup, while powerful, does swing and miss against quality arm-side movement.

Cleveland Guardians at Detroit Tigers NRFI

Joey Cantillo (CLE, Away) — LHP

• FIP: 3.19 | wOBA vs LHH: .263

Cantillo is a sneaky-good piece in Cleveland's rotation, and his NRFI profile is strong thanks to a 3.40 ERA and excellent wOBA numbers against left-handed bats (.263). The southpaw's biggest asset is his deception — his arm action creates natural cutting action that generates early-count grounders from right-handed hitters.

His command isn't elite, but his stuff in the first inning tends to be livelier as his velocity sits higher early in the outing. Cantillo is a reliable away starter who doesn't create big first-inning trouble, posting a solid season rate of keeping the board clean early.

Casey Mize (DET, Home) — RHP

• ERA: 2.43 | K/9: 9.4 | xERA: 2.98 | Record: 2-2

Casey Mize is the anchor of this NRFI play. Pitching at home in Comerica Park — one of the most pitcher-friendly environments in baseball — Mize's 2.43 ERA and 9.4 K/9 paint the picture of a starter who is rolling in 2026. His splitter is generating exceptional whiff rates, and his first-inning tendencies are particularly sharp: he comes out attacking with his fastball-splitter combination, generating quick outs before hitters can get comfortable timing his delivery.

The Cleveland lineup features some dangerous hitters, but Comerica's deep center field make a first-inning dinger tough to come by. Mize has posted sub-3.00 xERA through seven starts, and he can put up a zero in the top of the first.

Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees NRFI

Toronto Blue Jays — Braydon Fisher

• 3.08 ERA | 8.2 K/9 | 3.64 SIERA

As of publishing, Toronto is going with reliever Braydon Fisher as an opener. Facing the Yankees in the Bronx is a tall task, but Fisher has allowed just three earned runs over 12.2 innings if we remove an ugly outing at Minnesota from the equation. He also worked 1.2 scoreless innings against the Yanks on Monday.

Carlos Rodón (NYY, Home) — LHP

• Record: 0-1 | Strikeouts (2 starts): 10 | K:BB: 10:8 | IP Total: 8.0

Rodón recently returned from offseason left elbow surgery and has now made two starts, going a combined 8.0 innings with 10 strikeouts but an alarming 8 walks. The K:BB ratio of 10:8 is the central concern for NRFI purposes, but given that Rodon had walk rates of just 7.7% and 9.3% over his past two full seasons, I'm not overly concerned about his small-sample walk issues so far in 2026. His 10 strikeouts show bat-missing ability, which partially offsets the walk rate concern in a single-inning analysis, and Toronto is a bottom-10 offense by wOBA.

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.