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Best MLB Strikeout Prop Bets for Today, April 8: Snell Makes His First Start of 2024

We are into the third week of the MLB season, and strikeout trends are starting to take shape!

By Cameron Zunkel

San Diego Padres v San Francisco Giants
San Diego Padres v San Francisco Giants / Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/GettyImages
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We took Sunday off but had a 1-2 day on Saturday. Tyler Wells and Steven Matz both pitched well but failed to hit their over. Kevin Gausman did go under on his prop to give us our one win, though. Our record is now 14-10 on the year.

There is not a full slate of games today, but there are plenty of games to choose from. I am once again going to stick with three props that I think are very solid for today's games. I will be taking each as an individual bet.

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Best MLB Strikeout Prop Bets for 4/8

  • Aaron Ashby OVER 5.5 strikeouts (+100)
  • Zac Gallen OVER 5.5 strikeouts (-115)
  • Blake Snell OVER 6.5 strikeouts (-112)

Aaron Ashby OVER 5.5 strikeouts at Cincinnati Reds

Ashby is making his first big league start since 2022 in this game. However, he did make a minor league start this season, and he was able to go five innings, so I do not expect an innings restriction for Ashby. That would have been the only concern I have. Ashby is a strikeout pitcher. In 2022, Ashby struck out 126 batters over 107.1 innings pitched. He has a career 27.1 strikeout percentage, which is above the Major League average. Ashby needs to return to that form, but he is facing the right team to do it.

The Reds are fifth in strikeouts since opening day. They have struck out 99 times in nine games played, which gives them 11 per game. Cincinnati also has the third-highest whiff percentage, seventh-highest chase percentage, and eighth-lowest chase contact percentage. They are going to swing and miss. As long as Ashby can go five or six innings, he will strikeout six batters.

Zac Gallen OVER 5.5 strikeouts at Colorado Rockies

This number seems a little low, but I guess that is just the Coors Field effect. Gallen has made two amazing starts, and he is only getting better. He did face the Rockies on opening day, but he struck out just three batters. Do not expect a similar low-strikeout outing. He followed that up with six strikeouts against a much better New York Yankees team. He should be able to utilize off-speed against the Rockies, which will help him rack up the strikeouts.

The Rockies have 94 total strikeouts on the season. Colorado has the third-highest chase percentage, seventh-lowest chase contact percentage, and eighth-highest whiff percentage. They struggle to hit good pitching, and they will chase Gallen's pitches off the plate. I expect Gallen to go six or seven strong here to go along with plenty of strikeouts.

Blake Snell OVER 6.5 strikeouts vs. Washington Nationals

Snell is finally making his first start of the season after coming to terms with the San Francisco Giants. It is his first start of the season, but I am not worried about workload as he has been throwing this whole time. He had 234 strikeouts in 2023, which led to an NL CY Young. He can rack up the K's when he is at his best, and he is fresh in this game. Snell made 32 starts in 2023, and struck out seven or more in 21 of them, including sevens straight to end the season. If he is on, he will easily reach this number.

The Nationals chase a lot of pitches out of the zone, and Blake Snell throws plenty of them. Snell has a good pitch mix that Washington will struggle with, and if they start chasing out of the zone, which I expect them to do, it is game over.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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