MLB Strikeout Props Today: 2 Best MLB Strikeout Prop Bets for Monday 5/11/26

Today's Top Strikeout Picks at a Glance

• Joey Cantillo Under 5.5 Strikeouts
• Kevin Gausman Over 4.5 Strikeouts

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 in FanDuel Sportsbook's MLB odds?

All MLB odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.

What are the best home run props for today?

Today's Best MLB K Prop Picks

Joey Cantillo Under 5.5 Strikeouts (-114)

Angels vs. Guardians, 6:11 PM ET

I think the under makes a lot of sense tonight for Joey Cantillo's strikeout prop.

Cantillo has never been a control artist, but he's upped his walk rate to 11.6% so far in 2026, the highest mark of his career. At the same time, his swinging-strike rate is down to 11.2%, another career-worst clip.

So, in short, Cantillo is walking more guys than he ever has while also generating fewer whiffs than he ever has.

His walk issues have led to several short outings, with Cantillo failing to go deeper than five frames in any of his past four starts. In turn, he's had five or fewer Ks in three straight appearances, including outings of one and two Ks over his last two games.

The Los Angeles Angels have the 10th-highest strikeout rate against left-handers (23.9%) but also sport the eighth-highest walk rate in the split (10.5%). That makes them a tricky matchup for Cantillo, and I like him to go under 5.5 Ks today.

Kevin Gausman Over 4.5 Strikeouts (-158)

Blue Jays vs. Rays, 7:07 PM ET

The 2,000-strikeout milestone is on the line today for Gausman, who sits just three strikeouts shy of 2,000 for his career.

His stuff is trending up of late. In his last start against these same Tampa Bay Rays on May 5th, his fastball averaged 94.4 mph — its highest reading since early in the season — and topped out at 96.5. Better velocity typically means more swing-and-miss, and Gausman posted a solid 10.4% swinging-strike rate in that outing.

The workload is usually strong for Gausman as he's cleared 90 pitches in four of his last five starts. He's also been good historically against Tampa Bay, with Gausman racking up 148 strikeouts in 27 career appearances against the Rays, averaging roughly 5.5 punchouts per start against them historically.

After going over 4.5 Ks in each of his first four outings, Gausman's strikeout output has slowed. But his amped-up heater last time out could be a sign that he's getting back to his best stuff, making over 4.5 Ks an appealing bet.

Strikeout Prop Betting — Frequently Asked Questions

What is a strikeout prop bet? A strikeout prop bet is a wager on how many strikeouts a starting pitcher will record in a given game. FanDuel Sportsbook will set an over/under line — for example, 6.5 strikeouts — and you bet whether the pitcher will go over or under that number.

How do strikeout prop bets work? Sportsbooks post a strikeout total for a starting pitcher before each game. You pick either the over (more strikeouts than the line) or the under (fewer strikeouts than the line). The bet is typically settled on the pitcher's official strikeouts recorded, regardless of how long he stays in the game.

What stats should I look at for strikeout prop bets? The most important stats to research are the pitcher's strikeouts per nine innings (K/9), strikeout rate (K%), swinging strike rate (SwStr%), pitch counts and recent strikeout totals over his last several starts. You should also look at the opposing lineup's strikeout rate, as some teams swing and miss more than others.

What is swinging strike rate and why does it matter? Swinging strike rate (SwStr%) measures how often a pitcher generates swings and misses on all pitches thrown. It is one of the strongest predictors of strikeout performance.

Can I parlay strikeout props? Yes, FanDuel allows you to combine strikeout props with other player props or game markets into a parlay.

Which strikeout props stand out to you today? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's MLB odds to see the full menu of options.

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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.