After a wild day of trade deadline action, the landscape of Major League Baseball has shifted dramatically. With all these new faces in new places, you’d be forgiven for having a tough time finding a can’t-miss bet today. Still, for those looking to get in on the action, consider a no run first inning bet (NRFI). Three outs from each pitcher are all you need to cash in- but that’s easier said than done. Figuring out which pitchers thrive early, and which lineups don’t, is key to cashing in.
Ahead of Friday’s MLB slate, here are three NRFI bets worth placing on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Twins vs. Guardians NRFI (-145)
What a deadline for the Twins, who shipped off nearly half of their roster to contending clubs. Even in the midst of a full rebuild, Minnesota chose not to part with ace Joe Ryan. It’s easy to see why; the right-hander has notched a 2.82 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 10.2 K/9 this season. That includes a stellar 1.80 first inning ERA through 20 starts. Expect the 29-year-old to continue his dominance this evening against the Guardians. Cleveland has put up an NRFI rate of 74.07% this year, the league’s seventh-highest mark.
Pitching for the home team will be Gavin Williams, another talented AL Central hurler. Over 110.1 innings of work, the 26-year-old has posted a 3.51 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 8.9 K/9 ratio. He’ll be facing what was a middling Twins offense. Following yesterday’s moves, even that feels too kind. When these teams met on May 21st, Williams tossed six innings of one-run ball. A similar performance against this depleted Minnesota lineup could be in store tonight.
Giants vs. Mets NRFI (-145)
Speaking of trade deadline sellers, the Giants shipped off a few interesting pieces. Still, general manager Buster Posey opted to keep his starting rotation intact. Although Logan Webb can be regarded as San Francisco’s ace, Robbie Ray isn’t too far behind. The former Cy Young winner has returned to elite form, recording a 2.93 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 134 strikeouts. Numbers such as those tend to play against any lineup, even a loaded Mets squad. When these clubs met in The Bay last week, Ray tossed 5.2 innings of two-run ball. On the season, the 33-year-old has a 2.86 first inning ERA.
As good as Ray has been, he’s not the only All-Star arm taking the hill in Queens. David Peterson has been a revelation for the Mets, emerging as a legitimate #2 behind Kodai Senga. Through 20 appearances this year, the southpaw has accounted for a 2.83 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 7.51 K/9. The sixth-year pro is an NRFI machine, logging a 0.90 first inning ERA in 2025. It helps that he’ll face the Giants, who are batting a league-worst .214 against left-handed pitching this season. Don’t expect any kind of offensive outburst from San Francisco tonight.
Cardinals vs. Padres NRFI (-130)
If one word was used to describe this Cardinals pitching staff, ‘meh’ would probably suffice. That’s not to say there’s no talented St. Louis arms, but none come close to the ace-level potential this organization desperately needs. Matthew Liberatore is a perfect example of this. The former Rays farmhand has been consistently average throughout his brief four-year career. In 2025, he’s tossed a career-best 104.2 innings, notching a 4.04 ERA in the process. That might be enough against the Padres, scoring the league’s seventh-fewest runs per game (4.08). Over 19 starts, Liberatore has a solid 3.38 first inning ERA.
If anyone has a claim as baseball’s most underrated hurler, it’s Nick Pivetta. A brief look at his statistics show just as much: 2.81 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 9.7 K/9. The fact that the 32-year-old didn’t make the All-Star Game remains baffling. Regardless, San Diego’s secret weapon has shown no signs of slowing down. During the month of July, his ERA was a minuscule 1.14. In comparison, the Cardinals scored the second-fewest runs in baseball during that time (80). It might be August, but those hitting woes will likely continue for St. Louis.
