It’s MLB Friday, and there are a multitude of games that present interesting strikeout props on the schedule. Today, we’re taking the Over against two of the league’s most notable franchises and the Under against arguably the best lineup in baseball. Check out our MLB strikeout props for tonight, Friday, Aug, 4, to get in on the action.
More MLB betting: NL Cy Young odds 2023 | AL Cy Young odds | 2023 World Series odds | MLB betting promotions | MLB MVP odds | MLB Rookie of the Year odds
Today’s Betting Lines
Here are the game lines on BetMGM Sportsbook for the contests relating to our prop picks below. To find the best value, it’s best to review the lines from all the top sports betting apps, which you can do on our MLB odds page.
MLB Strikeout Props (8/4/23)
Here are our best MLB strikeout props for Friday.
Kyle Hendricks Under 3.5 Strikeouts (+102 on FanDuel)
Kyle Hendricks is having one of his better years for the Cubs, but strikeouts have not been one of the categories he has elevated. In July, he posted his highest monthly strikeout total for the season, compiling four consecutive games with at least five strikeouts, before waning off and finishing the month with strikeout totals of four and two in his last two starts in July.
Given his performance in the strikeout category seems to be losing a little steam, going Over his listed total against the Braves doesn’t seem likely. Hendricks has faced five of Atlanta’s batters for a total of 88 plate appearances. In those battles, he is allowing a .341 batting average, .463 on base percentage, .670 slugging percentage, and a 1.133 on-base slugging percentage. The Atlanta batters he has faced before don’t include Ronald Acuna Jr. or Austin Riley, who could very well lift those totals given their abilities at the plate.
Additionally, Hendricks is using the sinker and four-seamer at 37% and 22% clips this season, respectively. Out of the 11 Braves batters with at least 150 plate appearances this season, only one hit fastballs at a clip below .250. That’s going to be a significant hurdle for Hendricks to overcome tonight.
Yu Darvish Over 5.5. Strikeouts (-126 on FanDuel)
Yu Darvish isn’t having his best season, but he is still capable of racking up strikeouts. Tonight, he takes the mound for the Padres against the LA Dodgers. Darvish faced the Dodgers once already this season and tossed six strikeouts and allowed only one earned run.
Darvish has faced 14 Dodgers batters for a total of 207 plate appearances. In those matchups, he tossed 67 strikeouts, for a strikeout percentage of 32% (11 percentage points higher than this year’s MLB average). Spanning his career, he is also allowing a batting average of .213 against the current Dodgers lineup. The only LA batters who have had success against Darvish are Freddie Freeman and David Peralta.
Darvish’s most-used pitch is the slider, which he tosses 37% of the time. The Dodgers have 13 batters with more than 150 plate appearances, and eight of them hit the slider at a clip well below .250. That sets up Darvish well to go Over his total tonight.
Hunter Brown Over 5.5 Strikeouts (-140 on BetMGM)
Hunter Brown stepped into a full-time starting role for the Astros this season, and he is putting together a solid sophomore campaign. As a second-year player who saw time on the mound toward the end of the season last year, Brown has positioned himself to tie for the 26th-best strikeout total (10 away from top 20). That’s an impressive clip given his experience.
Brown has eclipsed six strikeouts in all but eight of his 20 starts in 2023. Additionally, although he is young, he has a solid pitching repertoire. The four-seamer is his primary pitch (44% usage rate), but he also tosses the slider and curveball at clips of 27% and 25%, respectively. Out of the Yankees’ 12 batters with at least 150 plate appearances, 10 hit the slider well under .250 and eight hit the curveball well under .250.
That’s a significant advantage for Brown when it comes to covering this wager.
More MLB Betting Analysis
MLB Wild Card Odds: Series Previews and Picks to Advance
Reds vs. Cardinals Odds, Props, Predictions: Cincinnati’s Playoff Hopes Fading in Final Weekend
MLB Player Prop Bets for Bryce Harper, Ronald Acuna Jr. on Friday, Sept. 22
About the Author
