NRFI Bets Today: Best First Inning Picks and Predictions for Monday, May 18
There's no case of the Mondays with a jam-packed MLB schedule. Only two teams have Monday off, which means we have 14 games, and they all take place in the evening.
Los Angeles Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto faces San Diego Padres RHP Michael King as these teams renew their rivalry in the best pitching matchup of the slate. We're also highlighting the upstart Chicago White Sox, who exited the weekend above .500 at 24-22. Let's dive in the waters to find value for NRFI bets.
All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are subject to change. DraftKings does not sponsor this content.
Best NRFI Bets Today
Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres NRFI (-125)
Yamamoto has been roughed up of late as he has allowed eight home runs thus far after allowing 14 all of last season. He has allowed six first-inning earned runs in eight starts, but half of those came in an April 21 start against San Francisco. King has yet to surrender a hit in the first inning through eight starts in what has been pure dominance through the first frame.
Boston Red Sox at Kansas City Royals NRFI (-105)
Red Sox RHP Sonny Gray has been a beast at 2-0 with a 1.32 ERA over his last three starts. He has allowed just three runs in seven first innings, and two of those came in his season opener. Neither of these teams score many runs. The Red Sox are 28th at 3.7 R/game, and KC is tied for 22nd at 4.1 R/game. Due to the anemic offenses, this one looks primed to cash.
Chicago White Sox at Seattle Mariners NRFI (-160)
Rookie White Sox LHP Noah Schultz has allowed just two earned runs in six first frames this season. He'll be opposed by Mariners RHP Bryan Woo, who has allowed just two ER and struck out 18 hitters over 12 frames in his last two starts. He has had a couple of blowups in the first, with six ER in eight first innings, but four of those came in one outing May 1 against the Royals.
What Does NRFI Mean in Baseball?
The term NRFI indicates no runs scored in the first inning. Its opposite, YRFI, indicates yes, a run will be scored in the first inning. It doesn't matter if the run qualifies as an earned run or not. If a run crosses the plate in the first inning for either team, the wager loses for the NRFI side and wins for the YRFI side.
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This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 4:30 AM.