We live in a society of instant gratification, and if that’s that way to like to bet, there’s really nothing better in MLB than a NRFI wager. Why lock in for nine whole innings when you really only have to watch one, right?
Every team is in action on Friday, which means 15 games to choose from on the DraftKings Sportsbook. Here are my two best No Run First Inning picks for this evening’s action on the diamond.
Texas Rangers at Toronto Blue Jays NRFI (-150)
The first thing that catches your eye in this pitching matchup is Jacob deGrom. The veteran RHP’s numbers in 2025 might not stand out in the context of his entire career, but deGrom’s still been a force this season, registering a 2.86 ERA and a 3.28 xERA across 135.1 innings — the first time he’s exceeded 100 innings thrown since all the way back in 2019. Is deGrom benefitting from the league’s third-lowest qualified opponent BABIP (.239)? Of course. But he’s also striking out over a batter per inning and not walking a soul. That’s the stuff that’s projectable.
That said, for as great as he’s been, deGrom will need to be locked-in for this opening frame. The Blue Jays lead the league in wRC+ since the All-Star break (142), and the largest reason for that has been Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette — two mainstays at the top of Toronto’s order. Vladdy, in particular, has been amazing in this span, slashing .375/.444/.702 with a .327 ISO. Add in the fact that the Jays might activate George Springer (concussion) off the IL on Friday, and this could be a dangerous trio to face before breaking a sweat.
As for Toronto’s starting pitcher, Chris Bassitt will toe the rubber at Rogers Centre. While the 36-year-old has had his struggles of late, Bassitt’s been a completely different animal at home in 2025. To wit, Bassitt sports a 2.56 ERA in Canada versus a 6.39 ERA anywhere else. The elder RHP has also been at his best this season the first time through a lineup, holding opponents to a .287 OBP and possessing a 3.25 ERA within the split.
Tampa Bay Rays at San Francisco Giants NRFI (-125)
I could easily make this about Landen Roupp and Joe Boyle, who have both been very solid when healthy and given the opportunity to start in 2025. However, this NRFI bet is far more about the inability of these teams to hit with consistency. The fact this tilt is taking place in San Francisco doesn’t hurt, either.
Despite not trading away a big bat like Brandon Lowe, as many expected they’d do, the Rays have struggled to score runs since the All-Star break, ranking 28th in MLB in both batting average (.226) and wRC+ (89). Meanwhile, the Giants possess a lowly 90 wRC+ so far in August and the team has managed just 12 home runs in the month — the sixth-lowest total in baseball.
That last part is key. The quickest way for a NRFI pick to blow up in your face is a long ball, yet that’s not the sort of thing that happens all that often at Oracle Park. In fact, San Francisco has been the second-hardest field to hit a home run at by Baseball Savant’s park factors since the beginning of 2023. Who am I to disagree with a three-year sample?
