NRFI Today: 3 NRFI Picks, Predictions, Best Bets for Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Today's Top NRFI Picks at a Glance

• Diamondbacks vs. Red Sox NRFI
• Mariners vs. Brewers NRFI
• Nationals vs. Rangers 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

Diamondbacks vs. Red Sox NRFI (-142)

Brandon Pfaadt and Payton Tolle give us the best two-sided pitching matchup on the board. Pfaadt enters Wednesday with a 3.11 ERA for the Arizona Diamondbacks while Tolle owns a 2.97 ERA for the Boston Red Sox.

Tolle's numbers against hitters the first time through the order are particularly appealing. In the split, he has recorded a .224 batting average and .267 OBP, with a 32.7% strikeout rate and only a 5.6% walk rate. His 2.84 xFIP in those situations backs up the surface results.

Pfaadt has also been effective when starting games. His first-time-through data has him holding hitters to a .192 average and .222 OBP, although that specific split comes from a smaller sample.

Tolle's ability to miss bats gives this NRFI a strong foundation, and Pfaadt's overall 2026 performance makes Arizona's side of the equation trustworthy enough.

Mariners vs. Brewers NRFI (-148)

Logan Gilbert gives us one of the strongest individual NRFI profiles on Wednesday's slate.

Gilbert enters the matchup with a 3.28 ERA and 152 strikeouts, and his first-trip-through-the-order numbers are considerably more impressive. He has a 2.68 ERA, .227 batting average allowed and .251 OBP allowed the first time through a lineup.

The strikeout-to-walk numbers are elite. Gilbert has struck out 35.1% of the hitters he has faced the first time through while walking only 2.9%, producing a massive 32.2% K-BB rate. His 2.25 FIP and 2.34 xFIP in the split indicate that the performance isn't simply good fortune. The Milwaukee Brewers can swing it, but Gilbert should be up for the challenge.

Dustin May is the weaker half of the matchup as he carries a 4.13 ERA into Wednesday. But May also gets to face a Seattle Mariners offense that isn’t too scary.

Nationals vs. Rangers NRFI (-113)

The final pick is Washington Nationals-Texas Rangers, where Cade Cavalli starts against Kumar Rocker.

Cavalli has quietly put together an excellent season for Washington. He enters Wednesday at 10-5 with a 3.36 ERA and 151 strikeouts, and he has been even better early in games.

Opponents facing Cavalli the first time through the order have managed only a 2.06 ERA, with a .238 average and .309 OBP. He has allowed just 13 earned runs across 56.2 innings in that split while striking out 62 hitters.

I don’t have quite as much confidence in the Rocker side. His overall ERA is 4.50, and he’s got a 5.02 ERA the first time through the order. That introduces more volatility than I'd like, but Cavalli's strong early-game profile makes this preferable to several other games on a Wednesday slate that feature pitchers with much larger red flags.

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.