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Read our best NRFI betting picks today - Major League Baseball NRFI predictions for 6/9/2025. No Runs First Inning (NRFI) betting tips, expert MLB predictions, odds, and trends.
Monday's eight-game slate brings us another opportunity to find some scoreless first frames and try to cash more NRFI bets. It's a smaller slate and therefore a bit more challenging to find at least four NRFI targets, but I've got my top spots lined up and ready to go.
The best part about today's bets is that the shortest odds we have on any of these bets is -125. All four games have solid odds and a chance for us to make a solid return on our investment.
On this page, I'll provide my best NRFI bets today for MLB games on Monday, June 9, 2025. Monitor the weather and lineups for each team before placing your wagers. Odds for these bets are from DraftKings Sportsbook.
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What Are MLB NRFI/YRFI Bets?
NRFI bets are bets where you try to pick whether or not two MLB teams will combine for one run in the first inning. YRFI stands for "Yes Run First Inning," while NRFI means "No Run First Inning."
We prefer to target NRFI because it tends to occur more frequently, which is why you usually see shorter odds than on YRFI. It's also just more enjoyable -- whenever I take a YRFI, it feels like an inevitable loss. There's nothing more tilting than watching your team strand baserunners when you need them to score in the first inning. If you're taking the YRFI, I suggest not even watching.
The best part of NRFI wagers is how they settle so quickly. This is a fun sweat, as these six outs can be thrilling, especially if your pitcher works his way out of a jam. Remember to only go with a smaller percentage of your bankroll because this can be a volatile market with even the best pitchers struggling in the first inning.
Best First Inning Bets Today (June 9, 2025)
- Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia Phillies: 6:45 pm
- Tampa Bay Rays at Boston Red Sox: 7:10 pm
- Toronto Blue Jays at St. Louis Cardinals: 7:45 pm
- Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres: 9:40 pm
Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia Phillies NRFI (-125 DraftKings Sportsbook)
Starting Pitchers
- CHC: Matthew Boyd
- PHI: Zack Wheeler
This is one of the best pitching matchups of the day as Philadelphia's Zack Wheeler brings a 12-0 NRFI record into this matchup with the veteran left-hander Matthew Boyd.
Pitching matchups for the Chicago Cubs series at Citizens Bank Park:
Monday 6:45pm:
Zack Wheeler vs. Matthew BoydTuesday 6:45pm:
Mick Abel vs. Colin ReaWednesday 1:05pm:
Jesus Luzardo vs. Ben Brownpic.twitter.com/Xfmsg4Xg7p— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) June 8, 2025
Boyd has been quite solid on NRFIs as well, posting a 9-3 NRFI record this season and working two clean first innings in each of his last two starts. Boyd gets a matchup with a Phillies lineup that was stymied by the Pittsburgh Pirates' staff this weekend as the Pirates swept the Phillies and held them to just six runs in three games.
The Cubs' offense suffered a similar fate at the hands of the Tigers this weekend, scoring only seven runs in their series while dropping two of three. Wheeler should be careful with how he pitches to Pete Crow-Armstrong, who continues to look like an MVP candidate, but his strong first-inning numbers (0.42 WHIP, .079 BA) suggest that he could continue to dominate and shut down any offense in the first.
Tampa Bay Rays at Boston Red Sox NRFI (-115 DraftKings Sportsbook)
Starting Pitchers
- TBR: Shane Baz
- BOS: Brayan Bello
The Rays will send one of their best young pitchers to the mound in the series opener, with Shane Baz set to start. Baz has had some issues with run prevention as his ERA has ballooned to 4.96, but his SIERA is still just 3.97, and there's reason to believe he could see some positive regression going forward.
Shane Baz, Elevated 98mph ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/KmyHUGcyJQ
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 5, 2025
One area that Baz has dominated has been in the first inning as he's 11-1 on NRFIs and is riding an 8-game NRFI streak. He gets a Red Sox offense that has an 8-2 NRFI record on offense over their last 10 games. I like those trends on both sides.
As for Brayan Bello, he makes me a little more nervous as he does allow quite a few baserunners (1.59 WHIP on the season). But he has a 6-3 NRFI record and has a three-game NRFI streak intact. He's at his best when he's getting ground balls, but anytime you have a pitcher who allows as much contact as he does, it's a risk.
Bello's profile vs. a pesky Tampa team is likely what is holding these odds down. I'm going to roll with it anyway and just hope that Bello has his best stuff early in the game. He can give up as many runs as he wants after that!
Toronto Blue Jays at St. Louis Cardinals NRFI (-125 DraftKings Sportsbook)
Starting Pitchers
- TOR: Jose Berrios
- STL: Andre Pallante
The statistical profiles of these two pitchers show very average starters. However, the NRFI records for both have been quite impressive so far this season. Berrios is 9-4 on NRFIs, while Pallante is 10-2, suffering just his second YRFI in his last start when he allowed a home run to Bobby Witt Jr.
What helps boost my confidence here is that we have two positive trends for the offenses (well, negative for the offenses, but positive for our NRFI bet - make sense?)
Toronto and St. Louis both have an 80% offensive NRFI hit rate over their last ten games. The Blue Jays are hitting just .211 in that span while the Cardinals are hitting .216.
Berrios has worked two perfect first innings in a row and comes into this game in pretty solid form. Pallante struggled against Kansas City in his last outing, but it was just the first time he allowed more than four earned runs all season. He's a groundball pitcher who relies on inducing weak contact instead of strikeouts.
He will face two righties in Bichette and Guerrero Jr. before finally seeing a lefty, Addison Barger, in the three-hole during the first frame.
Relying on mediocre pitchers can be nerve-wracking, but both guys have been pretty solid in the first inning and face offenses that have cooled off lately.
Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres NRFI (-115 DraftKings Sportsbook)
Starting Pitchers
- LAD: Dustin May
- SDP: Nick Pivetta
You might be thinking, "But Dan, these are two pretty darn offenses, what are we doing here?" Well, that may be true, but the current trends are in our favor as the Padres are 8-2 on offensive NRFIs over their last ten games, and the Dodgers are 7-3.
Nick Pivetta, Bohemian Rhapsody Fastball. 🪦⚰️ pic.twitter.com/TU07fouLeb
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 5, 2025
Even though the Dodgers have one of the best offenses in baseball, I have some confidence in Padres hurler Nick Pivetta. The hard-throwing righty has been outstanding in the first frame with a 10-2 NRFI record, and he dominated this Dodger lineup as a member of the Red Sox last season, which was the last time he faced them, tossing six shutout innings with eight strikeouts.
Dustin May's NRFI record is less-than-stellar at 7-4, but I view him as an above-average pitcher overall. He has great movement on his pitches and a solid 48.5% GB%. With the Padres slumping at the dish and sending several right-handed hitters to the plate in the first inning, I think May has the upper hand here and a good chance at working a scoreless first frame.
Notable NRFI/YRFI MLB Trends: Last 10 Games
- Best NRFI hit rate: White Sox (90%)
- Best YRFI hit rate: Athletics (40%)
- Most First Inning Home Runs: Royals, Yankees, Angels (4)
- Best First Inning Batting Average: Athletics (.362)
- Best First Inning On-Base Percentage: Athletics (.444)
Conclusion: Best MLB NRFI Bets Today (June 9, 2025)
Monday’s lighter MLB slate still offers strong value for NRFI bettors. With favorable pitching matchups and recent team trends, these four spots present excellent opportunities for profitable NRFI bets.
Each game features competitive odds and pitchers with solid first-inning track records, giving us confidence in today’s selections.
As always, be sure to check lineups and weather before placing your wagers. If you're diving into NRFI betting today, this is a great slate to target for low-risk, high-reward plays.
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