15 games between 30 teams are on tap this Friday across Major League Baseball. Plenty of squads are taking the field, giving bettors ample opportunity to place some player props. That includes a few NRFI wagers (No Runs in the First Inning); in the blink of an eye, you can cash in. However, figuring out which pitchers thrive early, and which lineups struggle, is key.
Ahead of today’s MLB action, here are three NRFI bets worth placing on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Cardinals at Brewers NRFI (-145)
Both the Cardinals and Brewers find themselves hovering just above .500 in the NL Central. However, these teams have gotten to this point through different means. Milwaukee remains a pitching powerhouse, led by staff ace Freddy Peralta. The former All-Star is enjoying another terrific season, posting a 2.69 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 78 strikeouts over 77.0 innings. In addition, the eighth-year pro owns a stellar 2.22 ERA over his last five meetings with St. Louis.
To counter one of the National League’s best arms, it’ll be Erick Fedde toeing the slab for the Cardinals. It’s been a solid, albeit not spectacular, campaign for the 32-year-old. Over 13 appearances, he’s posted a 3.54 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. Regardless, the biggest draw in this matchup is the lineup he’ll be facing. This season, Milwaukee owns an NRFI rate of 88.57% at home; that’s the highest in all of baseball. In comparison, St. Louis has a below-average mark of 72.46%. Keeping that in mind, I’ll gladly back tonight’s starters in the first inning.
Twins at Astros NRFI (-115)
A red-hot Astros squad will look to keep the good times rolling tonight when they host the Twins. For Minnesota, it’ll be reliable starter Chris Paddack on the bump. The veteran is putting together a career year, notching a 3.53 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 52 strikeouts over 71.1 innings of work. He’s allowed no more than two earned runs in each of his last five outings. The right-hander will get to face a Houston lineup that’s generated baseball’s highest NRFI rate (82.35%).
Things will be trickier when the Twins are up to bat. The ‘Stros will send out Colton Gordon, making the sixth start of his career on Friday. So far, the results have been mixed for the right-hander; on paper, a 5.11 ERA doesn’t inspire confidence. However, he’s allowed more than three runs in a game only once this season. In addition, the 26-year-old has only surrendered two first inning runs so far (3.60 ERA). It might be a sweat, but Houston’s young arm has what it takes to slow down this Minnesota offense.
Athletics at Royals NRFI (-115)
It’s been a rough week for the Royals, who dropped three straight to the rival Yankees. During that series, Kansas City only managed to generate a combined total of five runs. It’s nothing new for this group, currently the American League’s lowest-scoring offense. Still, KC remains semi-competitive due to its terrific pitching staff. That includes Michael Wacha, making his 14th start tonight. The experienced hurler has put together another solid season, accounting for a 3.01 ERA over 74.2 innings. The biggest draw for the 33-year-old is his success to begin games. Through 42 outings since 2024, Wacha owns a 1.50 first inning ERA.
The Athletics are an awful pitching squad, allowing the second-most runs per game to opponents (5.99). Offseason acquisition Luis Severino has been fairly mediocre, pitching to a 4.77 ERA. The former All-Star has had most of his trouble at Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park (7.10). However, the right-hander has only given up three runs over 31.0 innings on the road this season (0.87 ERA). Against an unimpressive Royals lineup, Sevy shouldn’t have much trouble getting three quick outs.
