St. Louis, MO – A potential No Run First Inning (NRFI) opportunity stands out tonight as the Kansas City Royals take on the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 2 of their three-game set. Royals rookie Noah Cameron has been one of the league’s most effective early-inning pitchers, allowing zero first-inning runs in his four starts this season. Cameron’s 25.2 innings have yielded just three earned runs in total, and Cardinals hitters have gone a combined 1-for-19 against him lifetime.

Opposing him on the mound will be Miles Mikolas for the Cardinals, who has been equally impressive in the early frames. At Busch Stadium this year, Mikolas has limited opposing hitters to a .176 batting average and has held teams scoreless in the first inning in eight of his 11 starts — including each of his last four.

Historically, three of the four meetings between these two teams this season have resulted in scoreless first innings. The Royals also enter the matchup having failed to score in the first inning in 74% of their games in 2025. The odds for a Royals vs Cardinals NRFI are currently set at -110, with first pitch scheduled for 7:45 p.m. ET.

Cubs vs Nationals: Strikeout Leaders Set the Stage for Early Inning Silence

Washington, D.C. – The Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals square off at Nationals Park tonight with another strong NRFI angle in play. Cubs starter Matthew Boyd has been reliable in the first inning this season, keeping opponents scoreless in eight of his 11 starts. Meanwhile, Nationals lefty MacKenzie Gore enters the contest tied for the MLB lead in strikeouts with 101 and boasts an impressive record of nine scoreless first innings across 12 starts.

Gore’s dominance at home includes holding batters to a .165 average, and he blanked the Cubs over seven innings in their only meeting last season. The Cubs have also struggled to generate early offense, failing to score in the first inning in 73% of their games this season.

Oddsmakers list the NRFI for this matchup at -130, with first pitch scheduled for 6:45 p.m. ET.

Additional First Inning Bets to Watch on June 4

• Milwaukee Brewers at Cincinnati Reds – 12:40 p.m. ET
• San Diego Padres at San Francisco Giants – 9:45 p.m. ET

Both matchups feature underwhelming offenses and productive starting pitchers, making them candidates for NRFI plays as well.

What Is an NRFI Bet?

An NRFI bet (No Run First Inning) is a popular wager in baseball where bettors predict whether both teams will remain scoreless in the first inning. The opposite — a YRFI (Yes Run First Inning) — bets on at least one team scoring. Despite strong lineups across the league, NRFI outcomes remain common, as even elite offenses only score in the first inning around 50% of the time.