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Today's best MLB strikeout prop bets and pitcher K props for Friday, May 1. Keith Eyster's expert MLB player prop picks, betting odds, and advanced stat analysis to help you win.
Welcome back to another edition of RotoBaller's MLB Strikeout Props! We have a full slate of games to send us into the weekend, with multiple enticing matchups on tap tonight.
I'll offer up a few of my top picks here today, but you'll need to grab a premium pass to see all five of my favorite K prop wagers. Our top MLB writers are posting their favorite props in Discord daily, so gain additional access to those picks as well with a premium RotoBaller membership.
In this article, I'll provide my favorite prop bets for MLB games on Friday, May 1, 2026. Odds will change during the day, so lock in those bets as early as possible and always shop for the best number across multiple sportsbooks or prediction markets! If you love betting on baseball, check out our premium betting tools here at RotoBaller and sign up to access all our daily premium content!
High-Confidence Strikeout Picks
Cole Ragans OVER 6.5 strikeouts (-116 Novig)
Ragans has been all over the place this season. He is coming off his best start of the season, in which he struck out 11 Angels across six innings of one-run ball. Before that, the Yankees smacked him around for three home runs and eight walks, and he managed just one strikeout in six innings versus the Tigers in the start before that.
The inconsistency is a little concerning, but a line-drive off the pitching hand before the start against the Tigers appears to be at least partially to blame. His last start leaves no doubt that he is fully beyond that incident.
Ragans averaged a season-best 96.5 mph on his fastball in his last start and generated an impressive 21.2% swingning-strike rate.
Cole Ragans twirled his best start of the year, striking out 11 Angels over 6.0 innings
His fastball and changeup reach registered Whiff rates over 50% pic.twitter.com/qDG3N9bEWJ
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) April 26, 2026
The Mariners have been a below-average offense (81 wRC+) against lefties this season, while striking out at the 17th-highest rate (22.2%). The pitcher-friendly environment in Seattle should also help him work deep into this game.
Joey Cantillo OVER 5.5 strikeouts (+111 Novig)
Guardians lefty Joey Cantillo has been excellent in his first MLB season as a full-time member of the rotation. He has posted a 2.97 ERA and 27.2% strikeout rate through six starts.
Tonight, he draws a tough assignment in the hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park, but the Athletics have struggled to handle left-handed pitching this season. They rank just 26th with a 78 wRC+ against lefties, and they have struck out at the 8th-highest rate (24.8%).
Cantillo has struck out more righties than lefties in his career thanks to a devastating change-up (46.8% whiff rate), and he projects to face seven righties in the A's lineup tonight. He uses the changeup 24% of the time against righties and features a nasty 12-6 curveball with elite vertical movement, another 17% of the time. He's quickly become a reliable target for strikeouts in the right spots.
