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Eys Breakers: 3 MLB Strikeout Prop Picks For Memorial Day

Keith Eyster Mon 5/30 12:27pm PT
MLB strikeout props for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
(Image Credit: Imagn)

Betting analyst Keith Eyster gives his best MLB prop bets for Memorial Day, May 30, 2022. Make sure to use our PrizePicks bonus and Caesars promo code to begin betting baseball props now!

Please take a moment to remember our fallen heroes on this Memorial Day. 

We have 13 games in Major League Baseball spread throughout the day on this day of remembrance. 

Temperatures are heating up and the weather looks clear across the country. 

Let’s get started down in Arlington where the Texas Rangers take on the Tampa Bay Rays. 

Memorial Day MLB Prop Bets

Drew Rasmussen Over 4.5 Strikeouts (-115)

Drew Rasmussen makes his ninth start of the season for the Rays. 

Rasmussen has been excellent for the Rays this season. He owns a 2.68 ERA with a 23.7% strikeout rate and 5.8% walk rate in his first season as a full-time starter. 

The Rays have been careful with his pitch count as he has not been over 90 pitches in any start this season. However, outside of his first two starts which were essentially still spring training for everyone, he has thrown at least 83 pitches in all but one start. He has recorded at least 5 strikeouts in four of those six starts. 

The matchup for Rasmussen today against Texas is a good one. The Rangers rank sixth worst with a .295 wOBA, with their 95 wRC+ placing them 5% worse than league average. They have struck out a 22.4% rate on the season. Four batters in the projected lineup have struck out over 25% of the time versus right-handed pitching this season. 

We can expect around 85 pitches which should be enough to get him through five innings, and potentially six if he is efficient against the below average Rangers. I like Rasmussen to go over 4.5 strikeouts tonight. 

Glenn Otto Over 4.5 Strikeouts (-122)

On the other side of the game, Glenn Otto makes the start for Texas. He has struggled to begin the year with a 4.91 ERA; his strikeouts are all the way down at 19.7% and the walks are up at 11.8%. 

He may have finally turned his season around in his last outing with a strong performance against a very good Angels lineup. He struck out 7 over 5 innings and allowed just 1 run. 

Otto had a brutal stretch of opponents after opening his season against Oakland. He faced the Astros twice, the Red Sox and the Yankees in his other four starts this year. When considering that stretch of opponents, we can give him a pass for the poor numbers overall on the season. Last year, his strikeout rate was a healthy 25.2%, and the walks were much better as well at 7.2%. 

Today, he gets a matchup with a Rays team that has been around league average with a .300 wOBA and 103 wRC+. They have struck out at a rate of 23.4% this season. Their projected lineup today contains three batters who have struck out over 31% versus right-handed pitching this year, with another at 28.6% and another at 26.8%. 

Otto is a better pitcher than his results this year indicate, and I like him to go over 4.5 strikeouts tonight. 

Zac Gallen Over 5.5 Strikeouts (-150)

Finally, we head out to Arizona where the Diamondbacks take on the Atlanta Braves. Zac Gallen makes his ninth start of the season for the Dbacks. He has a sparkling 2.22 ERA on the season, although his 3.66 xFIP indicates he has had some good fortune. 

The main reason I have interest in Gallen is his matchup against the Braves. They have surprisingly been a below average offense this season, and they currently lead MLB with a 26.7% strikeout rate. Every batter in their projected lineup has a strikeout rate above 20% versus right-handed pitching this season. They have four batters over 30% strikeouts vs RHP, and two more above 26.5%. 

If Gallen can continue to limit the walks and take advantage of the heavy swing-and-miss Braves lineup, he should be able to pitch deep into the game. I like him to go over 5.5 strikeouts tonight. 

Today’s MLB Prop Card

Thank you for reading and good luck with your bets today!