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Read our best NRFI betting picks today - Major League Baseball NRFI predictions for 7/29/2025. No Runs First Inning (NRFI) betting tips, expert MLB predictions, odds, and trends.
Tuesday's slate of MLB games includes a few pitchers who have been surging lately, as well as studs who have been doing it all season long.
We went 3-2 on our picks last week, so ideally, we can get to a 4-1 mark or a clean sweep. It's bump day for lefty Max Fried as he faces off against everyone's favorite pitcher in Joe Boyle. There are plenty of divisional showdowns as trade-deadline season heats up, and we have five NRFIs lined up.
On this page, I'll provide my best NRFI and YRFI bets today for MLB games on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. Monitor the weather and lineups for each team before placing your wagers. Odds for these bets are from DraftKings or FanDuel 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. This strategy can change on a slate with worse pitching options, and we have seen offenses start to push back against the NRFI in the summer months with better hitting conditions.
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 (July 29, 2025)
- Arizona Diamondbacks at Detroit Tigers: 6:40 pm ET
- Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees: 7:05 pm ET
- Los Angeles Dodgers at Cincinnati Reds: 7:10 pm ET
- Texas Rangers at Los Angeles Angels: 9:38 pm ET
- Pittsburgh Pirates at San Francisco Giants: 9:40 pm ET
Arizona Diamondbacks at Detroit Tigers NRFI (-115 FanDuel Sportsbook)
Starting Pitchers
- ARI: Brandon Pfaadt
- DET: Casey Mize
Brandon Pfaadt had a brutal start to the season with an ERA over 7.00 for the first few months of the season, but he has since minimized his four-seam usage and has found some success.
Crazy in-season overhaul for Brandon Pfaadt. He posted a 7.25 ERA in May-June, then backed off his four-seamer & added a cutter. 3.61 xFIP in July.
He threw *zero* four-seamers in his last start, has to be the 1st time in his career (he threw ~55% 4S in the minors). #Dbacks pic.twitter.com/WD5CZjmJAr
— Lance Brozdowski (@LanceBroz) July 26, 2025
Pfaadt made a tweak and has found a bit of a groove of late, which we will ride. Mize has been excellent in the first innings all season, with a 15-2 shutout record. The Tigers are scoreless in eight of their last 10 first innings, while the Diamondbacks are a bit more balanced, scoring in six of their last 10.
In a pitcher's park and two pitchers who've been throwing well, it's a pretty decent spot for an NRFI. Plus, we get favorable odds.
Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees NRFI (-120 DraftKings Sportsbook)
Starting Pitchers
- TB: Joe Boyle
- NYY: Max Fried
Joe Boyle steps into Taj Bradley's rotation spot after being demoted to Triple-A last week. Boyle has electric stuff and has been dominant this season with a 1.42 ERA and 0.63 WHIP in 19 innings. He's been just as good at Triple-A Durham, with a 1.73 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 96 strikeouts in 73 innings.
Joe Boyle has thrown 23 pitches over 98 MPH in 2 innings, 14 have been above 99 MPH.
He also has this SL in his back pocket:#RaysUp pic.twitter.com/pCLqKaO881
— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) July 6, 2025
On the other side, we have Max Fried, who is having one of the best seasons of his career. He's been solid all season in the first inning, with a 16-5 shutout record. The Yankees have scored four times in their last 10 first innings, while the Rays have only scored three times.
With an exciting pitching matchup, it's an acceptable price at -120.
Los Angeles Dodgers at Cincinnati Reds NRFI (-115 FanDuel Sportsbook)
Starting Pitchers
- LAD: Tyler Glasnow
- CIN: Nick Lodolo
Tyler Glasnow has been immaculate since returning from the IL and has historically pitched quite well at Great American Ball Park. In six career games there, opponents are hitting just .143 with a .502 OPS. He's been great in the first inning this season as well, with a 7-1 shutout record.
Tyler Glasnow since coming off the IL:
18 IP
1.00 ERA
0.78 WHIP
23 K | 5 BBThe Dodgers got their guy back. pic.twitter.com/Zgd2sUdBGX
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) July 23, 2025
Lodolo has been no slouch this season, either, with a 3.08 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 122 innings. Although he's been shakier in the first inning, the Dodgers' top four bats (Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Will Smith, Freddie Freeman) haven't been as strong against lefties in July. All four, except for Betts, own a strikeout rate of 26% or worse against them during the month.
The Dodgers have still been respectable in their last 10 first innings, scoring in four. In comparison, the Reds have scored in three. It's a good price for the quality of the pitching matchup.
Texas Rangers at Los Angeles Angels NRFI (-118 FanDuel Sportsbook)
Starting Pitchers
- TEX: Patrick Corbin
- LAA: Yusei Kikuchi
Corbin has rediscovered his form in 2025, holding a 2.01 ERA in July. On the flip side, Kikuchi continues his strong inaugural season with the Angels with a 3.23 ERA in 122 2/3 innings.
Patrick Corbin’s last two starts combined:
11.1 IP
8 H
1 ER
2 BB
13 KHe has a 3.78 ERA this season…what timeline are we living in? pic.twitter.com/tbqf1VbZPl
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) July 24, 2025
Both offenses have struggled against southpaws this season, with the Angels owning the worst strikeout rate at 27.6% and the Rangers owning the worst swinging strike rate at 14.1%. Both teams are also 8-2 in scoring in the first inning over their last 10 games.
Pittsburgh Pirates at San Francisco Giants NRFI (-120 FanDuel Sportsbook)
Starting Pitchers
- PIT: Bailey Falter
- SF: Justin Verlander
It's been a tough year for future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander. He holds a 4.70 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, and a 9.8% K-BB% in 84 1/3 innings in his age-42 season. He finally picked up his first win as a Giant in his most recent outing, which hopefully signals some good times ahead.
Justin Verlander picks up his first W as a Giant 👏
That's the 263rd win of his career pic.twitter.com/oYHdzkV6Yd
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) July 23, 2025
Verlander has been better in the first inning when in the comfort of his pitcher-friendly home ballpark, holding opponents to a .188 batting average. On the other side, Falter has pitched well for the Pirates with a 3.82 ERA in 108 1/3 innings on the year. His 96th percentile extension allows his below-average stuff to play up and carry him to some levels of success.
The Pirates have scored just once in their last 10 innings, while the Giants have scored three times.
Notable NRFI/YRFI MLB Trends: Last 10 Games
- Best NRFI hit rate: Astros, Brewers (100%)
- Best YRFI hit rate: Orioles (40%)
- Most First Inning Home Runs: White Sox (5)
- Best First Inning Batting Average: Orioles (.372)
- Best First Inning On-Base Percentage: Orioles (.451)
Conclusion
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