Every MLB team will be in action on Sunday, May 12, weather permitting. 15 games on hand for the day mean 15 first innings to wager on. No run first inning (NRFI) and YRFI (yes run first inning) has bettors wagering on whether or not either team will score a run in the first inning of a game. Here are our best NRFI bets for Friday’s slate, with odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook,
Nick Simon’s 2024 record against NRFI: 2-1
Best NRFI bets: Sunday, May 12
Washington Nationals vs. Boston Red Sox (-150)
Washington and Boston will wrap up their three-game interleague series this afternoon and it will be a rubber match after they split the first two games. I wouldn’t expect much action at the plate in the first inning for two reasons. First, the Nationals enter today averaging the fewest first-inning runs in the entire league (0.24). And on the other side of the coin, Washington starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore has yet to yield a first-inning run through seven starts this season. I’d wager on zeros being placed on the box score in the first frame of this showdown.
Oakland Athletics vs. Seattle Mariners (-145)
This will be the rubber match of the weekend series between these two AL West rivals as both matchups ended with a final score of 8-1. Both of those matchups also featured scoreless first innings, which isn’t surprising considering that these are two struggling offenses who rank in the bottom five of first-inning runs. I expect another scoreless first for this getaway game.
Game To Avoid
New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays (+100)
These two AL East rivals have split the first two games of their series and should be chomping at the bit to get the party started early in this rubber match. New York is sending Luis Gil to the mound and while he has pitched well, it can take him a few innings to get into a groove. Meanwhile, Yankees batters are averaging the 10th-most first inning runs in the league and there’s an opportunity here to get to Rays starter Tyler Alexander early. I can see both teams pushing runs across right out the gate.