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Today's best MLB strikeout prop bets and pitcher K props for Friday, May 8. Thunder Dan Palyo's expert MLB player prop picks, betting odds, and advanced stat analysis to help you win.
Wow, what a loaded slate for strikeout props today! I have eight spots circled tonight, with a lot of big power arms in good spots and the exciting debut of one of the most prolific strikeout pitchers in the minor leagues this season. That doesn't even count Robbie Ray, who will be an auto-bet later today if he's announced as the Giants starter against Pittsburgh tonight based on his matchup!
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 on Discord daily, so gain additional access to those picks with a premium RotoBaller membership.
In this article, I'll provide my favorite prop bets for MLB games on Friday, May 8, 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
Jesus Luzardo OVER 7.5 strikeouts (-138 FanDuel)
Luzardo had a few poor starts in a row against the Cubs last month, where his strikeouts dipped, but he's been tremendous in pretty much every other start this season, including an 11-strikeout performance against his opponent tonight - the Colorado Rockies.
Jesús Luzardo, Vicious Sweepers. 😤 pic.twitter.com/rFD9t5T14N
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 3, 2026
Luzardo checks in today with a 29.7% strikeout rate and an impressive 14.9% SwStr%. He's also shown very good control with just a 5.2% BB%. Meanwhile, Colorado enters this one with the worst K% against LHP over the last two weeks at 34.6%.
The Rockies are also leaving the altitude of Coors Field and travelling to Philadelphia, where they will be playing at sea level. The well-documented "Coors Effect" could tip the scales even further in Luzardo's favor, as teams that leave Denver for regular elevation can struggle to adjust to the sharper movement on breaking pitches that opposing pitchers get at lower elevations.
There's some juice here, but for good reason. We know Luzardo has double-digit K potential here, and I think he cruises over his prop today in this elite matchup.
Robby Snelling OVER 4.5 strikeouts (-139 DraftKings)
How good has Snelling been at Triple-A? Last year, he posted a 33% K across 11 starts with a 1.27 ERA. So far this year in six starts, he's followed that up with a 40% K% and a 1.86 ERA. Now, that's still just 92 innings of dominance, but he's had elite strikeout results at every stop in the majors and looks poised to make a big impact on this already very good Miami Marlins rotation.
Robby Snelling ranks 2nd in the Minors in strikeouts (44) this year and has held opposing batters to a .457 OPS.
More on what the #Marlins' No. 2 prospect will bring to the big leagues: https://t.co/ohYjBJBnel pic.twitter.com/gQr5Hx02Ah
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 8, 2026
We simply aren't likely to get another 4.5 total on him again this season if he comes out firing in his debut. We've already seen another hard-throwing lefty dominate in his debut (Payton Tolle whiffed 11 Yankees), and there's no reason to "wait and see" with Snelling. Take advantage of the opportunity to smash this 4.5 number, and I would encourage you to go up the ladder at least a few rungs today to 6 or 7+ strikeouts as well.
Washington isn't a bad offense by any means, but they do rank sixth in K% vs. LHP over the last two weeks at 27%. That's a juicy spot for a pitcher who has shown as much strikeout ability as Snelling. I'm all in on the rookie today, who I think makes a big splash in his MLB debut.
Value Plays and "Under" Targets
