Baseball is faster than ever with the implementation of the pitch clock, but the DraftKings Sportsbook also has a market for those who still can’t wait 2.5 hours for results. NRFI bets (No Run First Inning) are exactly what they sound like. They give the bettor the ability to wager specifically on the outcome of a game’s opening frame. Will either team score a run? Yes or no? It’s that simple.
With that in mind, here are my top two NRFI picks for Wednesday’s full slate of MLB action.
Top NRFI Picks Today
- Yankees at Rays NRFI (-125): Gerrit Cole owns a 3.43 xERA across eight outings and 42.2 innings of work. He’s had home run issues in 2026, but the Rays rank 26th in long balls (87) and dead-last in ISO (.138). Meanwhile, the Yankees sit 30th in average (.166) and wRC+ (45) over the past two weeks. Shane McClanahan should sail through the first frame.
- Angels at Rangers NRFI (-135): Walbert Urena currently finds himself with a 3.03 ERA and a 3.27 xERA in his rookie campaign in the majors. That’s because he can touch 99 mph and has a nasty change-up. Not too shabby. MacKenzie Gore’s also been good, pitching to a 3.45 FIP. He should be able to keep the Angels quiet early, as the club sports a league-low .093 ISO over the last two weeks.
New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays NRFI (-125)
This pitching matchup would’ve hit harder in 2022 than it does in 2026, but you still have to like your chances for a clean first inning with Gerrit Cole and Shane McClanahan on the mound — in any timeline.
Cole has had the occasional hiccup since returning from an extended injury absence in late May, yet the 35-year-old comes into tonight’s start in possession of 3.43 xERA across eight outings and 42.2 innings of work. Really, Cole’s biggest and only red flag has been his inability to keep the ball in the yard. The former Cy Young Award winner is allowing 1.69 opponent home runs per nine. That said, the Rays rank 26th in long balls (87) and dead-last in ISO (.138), so this isn’t really a lineup that’s all that able to take advantage of this flaw.
McClanahan is also coming back from a major injury in 2026, and while his velocity and strikeout numbers are a little down, the overall results have been fantastic for the southpaw. In McClanahan’s past 12 starts, the former first-round pick owns a 2.48 ERA and a 3.18 FIP. As you would expect, McClanahan’s dominated in left-on-left matchups, as well, limiting those within the split to a .148 average and a .241 wOBA. That’s bad news for a LHB-heavy Yankees lineup that has been struggling to score much to begin with. Over the last two weeks, New York sits 30th in average (.166) and wRC+ (45) by pretty wide margins.
Los Angeles Angels at Texas Rangers NRFI (-135)
I’ll admit that I had no idea who Walbert Urena was three months ago — but I know now. Like so many prospects before him, the 22-year-old has rocketed up the Angels’ system, and he currently finds himself with a 3.03 ERA and a 3.27 xERA in his rookie campaign in the majors. Does the RHP have some control issues? Without question. However, Urena can touch 99 with his fastball and he’s got a devastating change-up that has almost proven to be unhittable. To wit, opponents are batting just .162 with a .222 expected slugging percentage off of the offering. Urena also shut down the Rangers the last time he saw them, conceding a single earned run over five innings on May 23.
Conversely, I knew a lot about MacKenzie Gore heading into 2026, and he really hasn’t changed at all in his first season in Texas. Gore is striking out a lot of batters. He’s also walking more than he should, and is therefore slightly underperforming his above average FIP (3.45). It’s just like old times. The point is, Gore is a known quantity and he’s good. Specific to Wednesday, he’ll get to face an Angels lineup that is floundering over the past 14 days. In that span, the team has a 64 wRC+ and a league-low .093 ISO. They miss Mike Trout (hamstring).
