Chicago Cubs NRFI Stats 2026: First-Inning Record by Home, Away, Month and Starter
The Cubs played 162 regular-season games in 2026 and 86 of them (53%) had no run in the first inning, the result an NRFI bet needs. They scored in the first in 28% of their games and allowed a first-inning run in 24%. Everything below is counted from the official line scores through September 27, 2026.
Cubs NRFI record, 2026
| Split | Games | NRFI | YRFI | NRFI rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 162 | 86 | 76 | 53% |
| Home | 81 | 37 | 44 | 46% |
| Away | 81 | 49 | 32 | 60% |
First-inning scoring, both halves
An NRFI needs both halves of the inning to stay scoreless, so the Cubs’ offense and their starter both matter.
| Games | Rate | Runs | Runs per game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cubs scored in the 1st | 45 | 28% | 87 | 0.54 |
| Cubs allowed a run in the 1st | 39 | 24% | 70 | 0.43 |
By month
| Month | Games | NRFI | Rate | Scored in 1st | Allowed in 1st |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 5 | 3 | 60% | 20% | 20% |
| April | 26 | 18 | 69% | 12% | 19% |
| May | 29 | 16 | 55% | 24% | 28% |
| June | 26 | 15 | 58% | 23% | 23% |
| July | 24 | 12 | 50% | 42% | 8% |
| August | 28 | 9 | 32% | 39% | 36% |
| September | 24 | 13 | 54% | 29% | 29% |
By starting pitcher
Games where the pitcher was the Cubs’ listed starter, and how many of those had no run allowed in the first inning.
| Starter | Starts | Scoreless 1st | Rate | 1st-inning runs allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shota Imanaga | 32 | 22 | 69% | 17 |
| Matthew Boyd | 22 | 17 | 77% | 11 |
| Colin Rea | 19 | 15 | 79% | 6 |
| Edward Cabrera | 15 | 13 | 87% | 4 |
| Jameson Taillon | 15 | 10 | 67% | 10 |
| David Peterson | 14 | 10 | 71% | 5 |
| Javier Assad | 11 | 10 | 91% | 1 |
| Kevin Gausman | 9 | 7 | 78% | 4 |
| Clay Holmes | 9 | 7 | 78% | 3 |
| Ben Brown | 8 | 7 | 88% | 1 |
Previous seasons
| Season | Games | NRFI | Rate | Scored in 1st | Allowed in 1st |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 162 | 75 | 46% | 30% | 34% |
| 2024 | 162 | 95 | 59% | 26% | 22% |
| 2025 | 162 | 82 | 51% | 30% | 30% |
What is the Cubs’ NRFI record in 2026?
86 NRFI and 76 YRFI in 162 regular-season games, a 53% NRFI rate. At home it was 46% and on the road 60%.
How often do the Cubs score in the first inning?
In 28% of their 162 games in 2026, averaging 0.54 first-inning runs per game.
Which Cubs starter has the best first-inning record?
Javier Assad, with no first-inning run allowed in 10 of 11 starts (91%) in 2026.
Should I bet NRFI on Cubs games?
Only when the price is better than the real chance of a scoreless first, which depends on that day’s starters, lineups, park and weather far more than on the season record. Our model simulates every game 20,000 times and posts a play when a book’s price clears the projection; see MLB NRFI and YRFI picks.
Source: MLB Stats API line scores and probable starters, 2026 regular season. Updated October 13, 2026. See NRFI stats for every team or all stats.