The final stretch of the MLB season starts today as every team will return to action now that the All-Star break is over. With an extended rest under their belts, the pitchers taking the mound tonight present a variety of strong MLB strikeout props for Friday’s contests. Our picks for the day include a stellar showing from Shohei Ohtani, and a split between pitchers up against lineups at polar ends of the stat sheet.
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Today’s Betting Lines
Here are the full odds from Caesars Sportsbook for the games we covered in our prop picks. If you want to see the lines from the other top sports betting apps, check out our MLB odds page. Once you’ve identified the wagers you’re interested in, view the current bonus offers to get in on tonight’s action.
MLB Strikeout Props (7/14/23)
Here are our top MLB strikeout prop bets for tonight’s MLB action.
Aaron Civale Under 4.5 Strikeouts (+105 on BetMGM)
Aaron Civale is having a solid year for the Guardians. His stats in the categories that matter most have been above average. He has a 3-2 record, a 2.56 ERA, and a 1.06 WHIP in nine starts this year. The one category he hasn’t been as dominant in is strikes. His strikeout percentage is below the league average, and he has yet to have an outstanding game against a solid lineup.
Civale is up against the Rangers tonight, who, as of late, have been exceptional at avoiding strikeouts. The most they have surrendered in their last seven games is eight, and that was a collective effort from Boston’s staff.
They also have the best batting average in the league and the second-best on-base slugging percentage. The Rangers are Civale’s toughest test to date and given their abilities at the plate and his performance in the strikeout category, we think their lineup is the safer bet.
Shohei Ohtani to Record 8+ Strikeouts (+150 on FanDuel)
At +150, this wager was hard to pass up. The Angels’ superstar tossed six strikeouts the last time he faced Houston, when the Astros’ lineup was much better. Now, they are without Jose Altuve and slugger Yordan Alvarez due to injuries. Against the 10 batters available for the Astros tonight, Ohtani has a 34.42% strikeout percentage.
Against the bottom of the order, Ohtani should be able to rack them up. Here are the batting averages he has allowed against six of Houston’s available 10 batters. Mauricio Dubon and Corey Julks have a .167 BA; Martin Maldonado has a .176 BA; Jeremy Pena has a .063 BA; and Kyle Tucker has a .150 BA. That doesn’t bode well against a lights-out pitcher like Ohtani.
The Astros are exceptional at plate discipline, but it’s been quite some time since their currently hobbled lineup has faced a pitcher the quality of Ohtani. The value is more than worth it on this line.
Eduardo Rodriguez to Record over 6.5 Strikeouts (+110 on Caesars)
Eduardo Rodriguez is one of the reasons the Tigers still hold a glimmer of hope to make the playoffs. Although he has a losing record, he has given his team a chance to compete in nearly every start.
It’s the offense that is letting them down this season. Since early April, he has registered at least five strikeouts in every game, including multiple matchups against the Orioles, and games against the Mets and Guardians, all of whom are near the bottom in strikeouts this season.
Against teams struggling in the strikeout category, his totals increase accordingly. The Mariners are the second-worst team in MLB in strikeouts. In half of their last 10 games, they surrendered at least 10 strikeouts. In two more of those games, they surrendered nine total.
Additionally, Rodriguez is six percentage points over the league strikeout percentage. His primary pitch is the four-seamer, but he is great at mixing in the cutter and changeup, both of which he draws a chase at a much higher clip than league average. His versatility at the plate won’t do the Mariners any favors, which is another reason why we like his odds to cover this wager.
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