Major League Baseball is back in action after an exciting Opening Day on Thursday, and the festivities continue with eight more games on Friday’s slate. With three new series getting underway and five teams playing for the second time, bettors are excited to get back on the field and get involved to start the season.
Few wagers are more exciting than the No Run First Inning (NRFI); six outs without any scoring are all that is needed to cash in. These props are quick-hitting, easy to track, and supremely straightforward. Still, sometimes that’s easier said than done. Finding the right pitchers and the best value is crucial, so be sure to consider all the factors as you assemble your NRFI picks.
Be sure to check out the new NRFI Trends Tracker on DK Network as you make your selections this Friday. Taking a look at the options, here are my top three NRFI bets for Friday on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Athletics vs. Blue Jays NRFI (-105)
The A’s and Jays start their seasons at the Rogers Centre, with veterans Kevin Gausman taking the mound for Toronto and Luis Severino getting the call for the A’s. Gausman had a 68.8% NRFI rate in 2025, while Severino had a 72.4% NRFI rate. Gausman went 10–11 across 32 starts with a 3.59 ERA and 3.41 FIP. He was stronger in the second half and also found success during Toronto’s push to the World Series. Severino’s year wasn’t quite as successful, but he did fare much better on the road than in Sacramento. He had a 3.02 road ERA with a 1.07 WHIP, compared to a 6.01 ERA and 1.53 WHIP at home.
Severino showed an impressive bump in velocity this spring and in the WBC, but it remains to be seen if he can convert that success in MLB. Still, this is a good value spot, as the Athletics had a 58.02% NRFI hit-rate when playing on the road last season — the fourth-highest mark in the majors. Both lineups have serious power near the top of the order, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Nick Kurtz able to smash this NRFI with a single swat. But with solid NRFI conversions from both pitchers last year, this is one of my favorite NRFI targets Friday night.
Angels vs. Astros NRFI (-120)
The Angels and Astros didn’t score in the first inning of their Opening Day matchup on Friday, let alone the first six innings. On Friday at Daikin Park, Mike Burrows gets the ball for his Astros debut against former Houston hurler Yusei Kikuchi. Kikuchi had a 63.6% NRFI rate in 2025, while Burrows boasted a 78.9% NRFI rate in limited action.
The Astros ranked in MLB’s top 10 for NRFI at home, but the Angels surrendered plenty of first-inning runs as they continued to struggle with starting pitching. But Kikuck was one of their best arms and will look to continue the team’s much-improved performance from Thursday. Burrows has adjusted well to a few tweaks in his delivery, and he’s one of the best value plays of the day for DFS. If the Astros offense takes more than an inning to get going against Kikuchi, this should be a strong spot to target for a second straight day.
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers NRFI (+100)
Let’s venture to the wild side with this final pick of the day and take the mighty Dodgers with an NRFI play. Getting any NRFI bet at even money is unusual, but the two young starting pitchers for Friday could definitely deliver. Emmet Sheehan will get the ball for Los Angeles, and he started 12 of his 15 games last season. Across 73.3 innings, Sheehan posted a 2.82 ERA, 2.93 FIP, and a 69.2% NRFI rate. The 26-year-old righty will look to cement himself in the Dodgers’ rotation with a hot start.
The Diamondbacks counter with 28-year-old Ryne Nelson, who’s coming off a breakout year in 2025. He went 7–3 with a 3.39 ERA and 3.73 FIP, along with a spectacular 82.6% NRFI rate. He faced the Dodgers three times, giving up four runs in 13 innings, only giving up a first-inning run once. Nelson racked up 23 strikeouts across 17 innings in the Cactus League, finishing his strong spring with five shutout frames against the Rangers. While the World Series champs are certainly a tougher matchup, backing him to get through the first inning unscathed can be a high-risk prop that pays off on Friday.
