3 Best MLB Strikeout Prop Bets for Monday 4/14/25

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.

Across today's action, which seem to present the best value in FanDuel Sportsbook's MLB betting odds?

We're going to dig into that today, laying out my favorite strikeout props across all the action. You can also do some research of your own by digging into our MLB player prop projections.

Please note lines and MLB projections are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All MLB odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook. All stats come from FanGraphs and Baseball Savant unless noted otherwise.

Today's Best MLB K Props

Easton Lucas to Record 5-Plus Strikeouts (+146)

Easton Lucas racked up eight strikeouts last time out, and it has pushed the market higher on him. I think it has room to be even higher, though, given his minor league track record.

Lucas spend almost all of last year in Triple-A (for three different teams). In that span, he had a 26.2% strikeout rate with a 14.6% swinging-strike rate. Those are good numbers even once you account for the fact he did that largely in long relief.

It's fair to be skeptical of him as he stretches out to be a starter. His stuff has played well so far, though, as he has a 14.7% swinging-strike rate through two starts. He has generated a 25% whiff rate with all four of his pitches, according to Baseball Savant.

Today, Lucas will face the Atlanta Braves, whose active roster has a 24.2% strikeout rate against lefties since the start of last year. That boosts Lucas to the point where I have him projected right above five strikeouts, allowing me to take the over.

Dylan Cease Under 6.5 Strikeouts (-106)

Everything under the hood for Dylan Cease looked okay last week despite his implosion; it seems like he just had a bad night. I do still think we have room to back the under tonight, though.

Part of that is the pitch mix. Cease is starting to throw a sinker a bit, and sinkers are not good for whiffs. In fact, Cease has no swings and misses in the 12 times he has thrown the sinker thus far.

Across 15 starts in which he has thrown fewer four-seam fastballs, Cease's strikeout rate has declined to 24.5%. The results -- beyond last week -- have been really good; it's just not a high-strikeout approach.

Even boosting Cease's expected strikeout rate, I have him projected for 6.38 strikeouts tonight against the Chicago Cubs. Pitchers in that range have gone under 6.5 strikeouts 61.3% of the time for me, making -106 look pretty enticing.

Tanner Houck Under 4.5 Strikeouts (-106)

Tanner Houck is similar to Cease in that he has seen his strikeout rate decline over recent outings. It presents value in his under against the Tampa Bay Rays.

For Houck, we've seen his splitter become less prominent of late. He threw if 24.9% of the time last year, and that's down to 21.5% this year. Although the sweeper is his primary whiff pitch, the splitter is his secondary.

Across 13 starts with fewer of those, Houck's strikeout rate is 16.5%. He has had a bad draw in that span with 8 of those 13 starts on the road, but he's there again tonight with the game in Tampa.

All told, I've got Houck projected for 4.17 strikeouts. He has gone over 4.5 in just 5 of these 13 starts, so I do agree with the projections in liking the under.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.