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 Thursday’s evening slate of action.
Top NRFI Picks Today
- Brewers at Cardinals NRFI (-115): This is simply an endorsement of this starting pitching matchup. Logan Henderson’s made 10 career starts at the MLB level, and he’s posted a 2.23 ERA, a 2.73 FIP and a 33.3% strikeout rate. Then there’s Andre Pallante, who has managed to maintain a 2.91 ERA and a 3.33 FIP across his past nine outings.
- Angels at Rangers NRFI (-140): Nathan Eovaldi owns a 2.06 FIP over his last three starts that is directly related to eye-popping marks in strikeout rate (37.0%) and K/BB ratio (9.00). Los Angeles also ranks 28th in wRC+ over the past two weeks (76). The good news for the Angels? Reid Detmers and his 3.19 xERA and a 3.09 FIP will be toeing the rubber for them in this pitchers’ duel.
Milwaukee Brewers at St. Louis Cardinals NRFI (-115)
This is simply an endorsement of this starting pitching matchup, which might fly a little under the radar.
Let’s start with Logan Henderson, who is the shining example of the Brewers’ consistent ability to develop pitching. Henderson’s made 10 career starts at the MLB level, and he’s posted a 2.23 ERA and a 2.73 FIP. The 24-year-old has struck out exactly a third of the professional hitters he’s seen with Milwaukee (33.3%), and yet, because of the team’s awesome depth, he’s been unable to lock down a consistent spot in the Brewers’ rotation in 2026. That is what I like to call an embarrassment of riches.
Then there’s Andre Pallante, who is a completely different type of pitcher, as evidenced by a 17th percentile strikeout rate (17.6%). Still, the right-hander uses his elite ground ball rate (54.6%) to keep the ball in the yard, and the results have been fantastic in what is now his fifth campaign with the Cardinals. Heck, in his last nine outings, Pallante has managed to maintain a 2.91 ERA and a 3.33 FIP. Sometimes its as simple as not walking batters and limiting barrels.
Los Angeles Angels at Texas Rangers NRFI (-140)
Nathan Eovaldi hasn’t been nearly as good in 2026 as he was in 2025, but it’s also really hard to live up to a season where you posted a 1.73 ERA across 130.0 innings of work. That said, the veteran RHP has had three straight encouraging starts. In fact, since June 21, Eovaldi owns a 2.06 FIP that is directly related to eye-popping marks in strikeout rate (37.0%) and K/BB ratio (9.00). If he keeps that impressive form, he should be able to silence the Angels’ bats, especially considering Los Angeles ranks 28th in wRC+ over the past two weeks (76).
On the other side, Reid Detmers will be looking to bounce-back after an underwhelming outing against the Red Sox last week. I’m not too concerned. For the season as a whole, the LHP owns a 3.19 xERA and a 3.09 FIP across 104.2 innings. He was also a man possessed in the month of June, putting up a 2.27 ERA and a holding opponents to a modest .204 wOBA. At his best, Detmers is an absolute stud.
