NRFI Today: Best MLB NRFI Bets and Predictions for Thursday, May 14

We have a jam-packed schedule Thursday, with several early games, as teams begin travel after the final outs are recorded. So be sure to use that lunch hour to place your bets on this firepower.

We see matchups between the Detroit Tigers and New York Mets, Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves, and the St. Louis Cardinals face the Athletics to feast on. They're throwing a good mixture of big names and young up-and-comers.

All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are subject to change. DraftKings does not sponsor this content.

Best NRFI Bets Today

Detroit Tigers at New York Mets NRFI (-140)

This one is an absolute banger. The Tigers are starting 25-year-old Keider Montero, who sits at 2-2 with a 3.18 ERA on the season. It's his work in the first inning of games that drops your jaw. In seven starts, he has allowed no runs, two hits, no walks and struck out five in seven opening frames. The Mets counter with young stud Nolan McLean, who has done his part in five of eight starts with a 3.38 first-inning ERA.

Chicago Cubs at Atlanta Braves NRFI (-150)

Sale is back to his Cy Young form at 6-2 with a 2.20 ERA. He has been even better in the first with just one earned run over eight frames and 11 K's. The Cubs are going with righty Ben Brown, who began the season in the bullpen. He's 1-1 with a 1.82 ERA and 0.91 WHIP in 13 appearances. He made his first start May 8 and worked four hitless, shutout frames with three punchouts.

St. Louis Cardinals at Athletics NRFI (+105)

Cards' young righty Michael McGreevy is coming off one of the best performances of his career. He had a career-high nine strikeouts with two walks and one hit over six shutout innings to beat the San Diego Padres Friday. He has allowed just one run in eight first frames this season. It gets a little dicey on the other side with lefty Jacob Lopez, though. He has allowed four earned runs in seven first frames, but he has had clean firsts in his last five starts. The Cards typically run out 2B JJ Wetherholt at leadoff, who's hitting just .204 against lefties entering Wednesday. 1B Alec Burleson typically hits cleanup, and he's hitting just .200 against lefties.

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 14, 2026 at 4:30 AM.