3 Best MLB Strikeout Prop Bets for 5/5/26: Ohtani, deGrom and Abbott Odds With Predictions
Today’s Top Strikeout Picks
Within a given MLB slate, there are tons of strikeout props to sort through as there are lines posted for most of the day’s starting pitchers. We’re here to help. In addition to our MLB projections, we’ll have this strikeouts prop article each day. Which MLB strikeout props seem to present the best value today?
Shohei Ohtani Over 6.5 Strikeouts
Astros at Dodgers, 8:10 PM ET
Shohei Ohtani enters Tuesday with 6.8 strikeouts per game through five 2026 appearances, with his over/under set at 6.5 Ks. His season average sits above the threshold, meaning this is a bet on him performing at his established baseline rather than exceeding it.
The most important development entering Tuesday’s game: Ohtani will focus solely on pitching after the Dodgers decided he will not DH in this start. He is 2-1 with a 0.60 ERA across his five pitching starts in 2026 — an ERA so historically low it ranks among the most dominant early-season stretches by any starter in the modern era.
Ohtani has been untouchable on the mound even as he has struggled with the bat (0-for-17 in his last five games). The Dodgers made the strategic decision to protect his pitching performance by removing the mental and physical burden of hitting, ensuring he takes the mound fresh and fully locked in on execution. The Houston Astros’ lineup, while dangerous when fully healthy, has been one of the more disappointing offensive units in the AL. Their lineup does not feature the elite contact-first hitters who structurally suppress strikeout totals against premium arms.
Jacob deGrom Over 6.5 Strikeouts
Yankees at Rangers, 7:05 PM ET
Jacob deGrom enters Tuesday with a 2.01 ERA, a 3.21 xERA, and an elite 11.4 K/9 through six 2026 starts, averaging 6.7 strikeouts per game. His per-game average of 6.7 is slightly above the 6.5 threshold.
DeGrom continues to pitch like his old self. He is generating swing-and-miss at the highest rate since his 2021 Cy Young campaign, and his mid-90s four-seam fastball-slider combination is producing whiff rates that rank in the top five among qualified starters.
The matchup against the New York Yankees isn’t easy but also isn’t super tough, either. The Yankees’ lineup — while featuring Aaron Judge at the top — has struggled specifically against power right-handed starters with elite breaking balls. They also may be without Ben Rice, an elite left-handed bat.
