Bryan Armetta shares his three favorite MLB no run first inning (NRFI) prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for Friday\u2019s slate.<\/p>\n
15 games between 30 teams are set for Friday across Major League Baseball. For those looking to cash in quickly on a bet, nothing makes more sense than an NRFI. With that being said, there\u2019s more to this one than meets the eye. Some pitchers thrive early, while others take more time to get settled in than others. Which NRFI picks are worth a closer look today?<\/p>\n
Ahead of Friday\u2019s MLB contests, here are three\u00a0NRFI bets<\/a>\u00a0worth placing on\u00a0DraftKings Sportsbook<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cleveland, per usual, has been buoyed by a stellar pitching staff. It\u2019ll be Gavin Williams taking the mound this evening for the Guardians. Through 61.1 innings of work, the right-hander owns a 3.67 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 73 strikeouts (10.7 K\/9). During his ten starts, the right-hander has allowed a first inning run three different times (70%). Although the Phillies have been playing better as of late, this isn\u2019t an amazing spot for them. Philadelphia\u2019s lineup has posted a .698 OPS against righties, 19th in baseball.<\/p>\n For the home team, it\u2019ll be staff ace Cristopher Sanchez toeing the slab. It\u2019s been another dominant season from the former All-Star. During ten outings, he\u2019s accounted for a 1.82 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 80 strikeouts (11.2 K\/9). At this point, I\u2019m backing the southpaw against just about every lineup in baseball. That\u2019s especially true when it comes to this middling Cleveland offense. The Guardians are averaging the 15th-most runs per game (4.38) this season. They also own a below league-average .377 slugging percentage. That\u2019s bad news against one of the best pitchers on Earth.<\/p>\n Texas\u2019 chances at contention depend heavily on the health of Jacob deGrom. When he\u2019s on the mound, the two-time Cy Young winner remains an absolute force. This season, he\u2019s delivered a 3.02 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 61 strikeouts (10.8 K\/9) over nine starts. Despite a few shaky outings in May, the veteran isn\u2019t someone I\u2019d be eager to bet against. Tonight, he\u2019ll face an Angels club that\u2019s scored just 16 times over their last five contests. That\u2019s the fifth-worst mark in the league during that time. deGrom has allowed one earned run or less in six of his nine appearances this season.<\/p>\n LA will counter with arguably their most talented hurler, Grayson Rodriguez. The oft-injured righty missed nearly two months due to shoulder inflammation. However, he finally made his season debut on May 17th, getting hammered for seven runs in 3.1 innings against the Dodgers. Although it\u2019s a disappointing performance, the 26-year-old is poised for a better outing this evening. Texas has been a disappointment at the plate, averaging the fifth-fewest runs per game in baseball (3.92). That\u2019s without factoring in the loss of All-Star shortstop Corey Seager (back). To make matters worse, the Rangers have recorded the league\u2019s eighth-worst YRFI rate (24.49%). A clean top of the first feels more than reasonable for Rodriguez on Friday.<\/p>\n The Athletics will hand the ball this evening to one of their top arms, Jeffrey Springs. While he can be inconsistent, the ninth-year pro has had moments of greatness in 2026. Through 55.0 innings pitched, the southpaw has put up a 3.93 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 47 strikeouts (7.7 K\/9). He\u2019s also been far more effective on the road (3.04 ERA, 1.10 WHIP). The Padres are on the hook for an 18.37% YRFI rate, fourth-worst in the sport. In addition, San Diego has recorded an MLB-worst .586 OPS against lefties.<\/p>\n For all their hitting prowess, the A\u2019s often take some time getting into a groove. Their 24.00% YRFI rate is tied for sixth-lowest in the majors. It\u2019s been the exact opposite story for Walker Buehler, looking to reinvent his career in San Diego. Granted, the veteran has produced mediocre stats (5.01 ERA, 1.36 WHIP). Still, his issue usually comes later in games. The former All-Star has allowed one first inning run over nine starts this season (90%). At cavernous Petco Park, early scoring could be difficult to come by.<\/p>\n