Best NRFI Bets Today: No Run First Inning Picks For Friday, June 20

Max Fried and Hunter Brown highlight our best NRFI bets today - can we build on our 31-20 record?

Last Updated: June 20, 2025 10:11 AM EDT • 4 minute read

Best NRFI Bets Today - Friday, June 20 — Pictured: Max Fried, who's highlighted in our Best NRFI Bets Today, throws a pitch in the first inning. Photo by: Peter Aiken via Imagn Images.

Welcome to our best NRFI bets today for Friday, June 20. Name a better feeling than rolling into the weekend with some extra cash in your wallet (hint: there isn't one).

As it stands, we're sitting at 31-20 with 6.63 extra units in our pocket this season after a 1-1 split yesterday. Andrew Heaney just couldn't hold up his end of the bargain for us, but we're due for a Friday sweep nonetheless. Let's do it all over again with today's first-inning picks and predictions.

It's time for us to get six simple outs using odds from our best sports betting sites.

Best NRFI picks today: Friday, June 20

Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees (-105 at ESPN BET)
Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Angels (-135 at DraftKings)

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Orioles vs. Yankees - 7:05 p.m. ET

Tomoyuki Sugano (3.38 ERA) vs. Max Fried (1.90 ERA)
NRFI record: Orioles (39-35) vs. Yankees (36-38)

Value, value, and more value. That's what we're getting in this matchup as part of our best NRFI bets today. Sugano was my preseason AL Rookie of the Year odds pick. While the emergence of Jacob Wilson likely squashed his chances, he's putting together a strong season for the Baltimore Orioles. He's striking this Yankees roster out 36% of the time and threw a five-inning shutout against them in April. I love him in this spot to get us three outs.

Does Max Fried need an introduction? No, but I'm going to give him one anyway. He's top five right now in AL Cy Young odds, and has obliterated the Orioles this year. Baltimore owns just a .187 xBA vs. Fried, who's held the projected top three to just one hit against him (1-for-7). We like those numbers.

Our Sean Tomlinson likes Fried, too, and he factors into his Orioles vs Yankees prediction.

Confidence level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best NRFI bets today: -105 at ESPN BET

Astros vs Angels - 9:38 p.m. ET

Hunter Brown (1.88 ERA) vs. Yusei Kikuchi (3.05 ERA)
NRFI record: Astros (46-29) vs. Angels (33-41)

One of the best NRFI teams in baseball against one of the worst - what could go wrong? Well, when it's a Brown-Kikuchi bump day, I like our chances as part of our best NRFI bets today.

Backing one of the best pitchers in baseball in Brown should always make you feel good, especially when the Angels own a .241 xwOBA against him while hitting a measly .139. The projected top three for the Angels are 2-for-14 in this spot, and Brown hasn't allowed a run in the first frame across his last four starts. That'll work for us.

On the other side is Kikuchi, who's holding this Astros team to a .205 average against him. Jeremy Pena and Jose Altuve are a collective 5-for-30 versus the lefty, too. Kikuchi is very much a hit-or-miss-type pitcher, but when he's got his command, he can be one of the best in the game.

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling pretty good about both of these plays. Cheers to a 2-0 start to the weekend.

Confidence level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best NRFI bets today: -135 at DraftKings

💡 More MLB predictions today

❓ Best NRFI bets today FAQs

What is a NRFI bet?

A NRFI bet is a wager on a matchup to go scoreless in the first inning. You can either wager “No Runs First Inning” or “Yes Runs First Inning” depending on the type of bet you'd like to make.

How do I place a NRFI bet?

To place a NRFI bet, simply go to your favorite sportsbook, head on over to the market and game of your choice. Then click on “first inning.” You should see an option to bet on a NRFI or a YRFI from there.

Can you parlay a NRFI bet?

The simple answer is yes! Just like making any parlay, you can combine two or more NRFIs across the MLB slate for any given day.

💵 Best MLB betting sites

Want to bet on baseball? Check out the best MLB betting sites and best sportsbook promos for today's games:

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Written by:
Dustin Saracini

Dustin Saracini is a Senior Publishing Editor & Analyst for Sportsbook Review. Dustin has been in the industry for 11-plus years, making various stops across Canada while gaining tremendous experience within the sports and betting landscape. Dustin has hosted multiple shows during his time in the sports betting industry, discussing NBA, NFL, PGA, and MLB betting markets with top handicappers from around the country, and has appeared on CNN as a betting consultant. Dustin wagers every single day and line shops at all of the top sportsbooks (FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and Caesars). He firmly believes that discipline is the only way you can become a profitable bettor. Dustin graduated from Western University with a broadcast journalism degree/diploma in 2014. If you want to see more of his plays, make sure to follow his Twitter @DustinSaracini. Follow for picks, strategies, and more.