3 Strikeout Prop Bets to Target for Wednesday 4/17/24

Riley Thomas•_riley8

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The lengthy MLB season offers a wide array of bets via the MLB odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Strikeout props are among the popular lines offered. These bets can focus on the over/under of a starting pitcher's strikeout total or alternate lines can be utilized for more intriguing odds.

In this piece, we will dive into the stats to back our favorite strikeout props of the day across the MLB's slate. Which pitchers taking the mound could rack up Ks or which may stumble? We have plenty of tools available that can help us zero in on the top picks, and we'll use stats from numberFire's daily fantasy baseball projections, Baseball Savant, and FanGraphs.

Here are some of the most enticing strikeout props at FanDuel Sportsbook for today's games.

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

Strikeout Props

Andrew Abbott Over 5.5 Strikeouts (-122)

The Cincinnati Reds' Andrew Abbott has a 2.60 ERA through three starts, but advanced stats suggest Abbott has been shaky. For example, his skill-interactive ERA (SIERA) is 4.79 compared to 4.33 last season.

Abbott's strikeout numbers have also taken a big dip. In the 2023 season, the second-year lefty ranked in the 72nd percentile of strikeout percentage (K%). He currently sits in the bottom 19% of the category and has totaled only 11 Ks over three starts.

So, why should you back the over considering Abbott's deflating strikeout stats? This is simply about the opponent as the Seattle Mariners have the worst K% in the MLB. This is on brand, for the Mariners had the second-worst K% in the 2023 season.

Seattle is looking to secure a series sweep this evening. Still, the Mariners have averaged 11.0 strikeouts per game in this series. It feels like nearly anyone can find success in the K department against Seattle. I'm expecting Abbott to tap into his impressive K% from last season, going over 5.5 strikeouts.

Zack Littell Over 4.5 Strikeouts (-136)

Zack Littell is another starter who could feast thanks to an opponent's concerning K%. The Los Angeles Angels have the fifth-worst K and have logged 10.0 strikeouts per contest over the last three.

Additionally, the Angels are tied for the eighth-worst mark in chase rate (swinging at pitches outside of the strike zone). This has been a strength for Littell, who was in the 79th percentile of chase rate last year.

Littell has reached five strikeouts in two of three starts. The Tampa Bay Rays' right-handed hurler also has a good chance of making a deep start when considering the matchup.

L.A. has excelled at making hard contact, carrying the second-best hard-hit percentage and eighth-best barrel percentage. While it's a small sample size, Littell has dramatically improved his hard-hit and barrel percentages.

After sitting in the bottom 29% and 41% in the categories last season, Littell now ranks in the 91st percentile in hard-hit percentage and 81st percentile in barrel percentage. His ability to limit hard contact could mean a deep start against the Angels, which gives Littell a solid chance of going over 4.5 strikeouts.

Tanner Houck Under 4.5 Strikeouts (-106)

After touting the top K% in baseball last season (18.7%), the Cleveland Guardians have still been tough to strike out with the seventh-best mark in the MLB (19.9%). The Boston Red Sox's Tanner Houck got off to a hot start with 17 strikeouts over his first two starts. However, he cooled down with two Ks in his previous appearance.

Against Cleveland's disciplined batting order, Houck's K total looks headed for the under. One of his big strengths has been whiff percentage, ranking at least in the 69th percentile in the 2021, 2022, and 2023 seasons. The Guardians are in the top 10 of swinging-strike percentage and had the fourth-best mark in the category last season.

Houck ranked in the bottom 34% in K% last season. He's come back to Earth with only two Ks in his previous start. I believe Boston's starter is in store for another low strikeout outing against Cleveland. We could see Houck's K% slowly dip, getting closer to his usual K%. He finished in the bottom half of the category in the last two seasons.

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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.