Getty Former MLB umpire Angel Hernandez
Strikeout prop bets rank among the most sought-after betting lines in baseball. These wagers involve predicting whether a starting pitcher will surpass or fall short of a specified number of strikeouts during a game.
Below are a few strikeout prop bets our AI-driven dfsPro model likes for the games scheduled for May 31.
MLB Strikeout Prop Bets
Dylan Cease Over 5.5 Strikeouts Thrown (-150, DraftKings)
In 8 out of 10 starts this season, Dylan Cease has exceeded this mark, ranking among the top six pitchers in the league for strikeouts. His impressive statistics include a whiff rate of 33.1%, a strikeout rate of 31.4%, and a Chase Rate of 31%.
Remarkably, Cease has a perfect track record against the Kansas City Royals, hitting this line in all six career starts against them. Despite the Royals boasting the second-lowest strikeout percentage in the MLB this season, Cease has dominated them with a 29.5% strikeout rate over 98 combined at-bats.
Looking at specific matchups, several Royals hitters have struggled against Cease, including Maikel Garcia, Vinnie Pasquantino, Nelson Velazquez, MJ Melendez, Hunter Renfroe, and Kyle Isbel, who all have strikeout rates of 25% or higher against him.
Cease’s recent outing against the New York Yankees, where he recorded nine strikeouts, indicates his continued dominance on the mound. With his historical success against the Royals, Cease is well-positioned to deliver another strong performance today.
Furthermore, Cease’s high average pitch count of around 99 pitches per game provides him with ample opportunity to rack up strikeouts. Overall, this presents an enticing opportunity to bet on Cease, a dominant strikeout pitcher who has consistently exceeded this line throughout the season.
Lock of the Day
Tobias Myers Over 4.5 Strikeouts Thrown (+105, DraftKings)
Last season in the minors, Tobias Myers showcased an impressive 11.2 K/9, which he followed up with a strong 11.6 K/9 through five appearances this season. While we’ve seen a slight decline in those numbers in the majors, with a 9.3 K/9 and 24% strikeout rate, Myers has notably performed significantly better in this regard at home.
On the road, he’s gone 4-0 to the Under with an average of 3 strikeouts and a 21.1% strikeout rate. Conversely, at home, he’s gone 2-0 to the Over with an average of 5.5 strikeouts and a 28.2% strikeout rate. Notably, one of those home cashes was against the Yankees, known for being one of the toughest lineups in baseball to strike out.
Moreover, Myers has demonstrated much greater success against right-handed hitters in terms of strikeouts so far this season. Against left-handed hitters, he has a 7.8% K-BB rate and a 4.71 xFIP, whereas against right-handed hitters, he boasts a 22.2% K-BB rate and a 3.45 xFIP.
At home against right-handed hitters, Myers has posted an incredible 41.2% strikeout rate and a 35.3% K-BB rate. So, asking him to get five strikeouts at plus money against a lineup of six right-handed hitters already holds value.
Furthermore, the Chicago White Sox lineup is currently struggling to limit strikeouts against right-handed pitchers. In the last six out of nine games against healthy right-handed pitchers, they have gone over their total with an average of 6.8 strikeouts. During this span since May 18th, the White Sox rank 28th in strikeout percentage (29.6%) and 29th in whiff percentage (29.8%) versus starting right-handed pitchers.
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