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Today's best MLB strikeout prop bets and pitcher K props for Saturday, May 16. Kipp Heisterman's expert MLB player prop picks, betting odds, and advanced stat analysis to help you win.
Saturday baseball is one of my favorite watches, as we typically get baseball all day, which is the case today with games starting as early as 1:10 p.m. EST. There are some really fun matchups this weekend, as we have a slew of intrastate matchups across the league, as well as some cross-town rivalries in New York, L.A., and Chicago. Every game is between teams from the same city or geographic region, which is very fun.
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 Saturday, May 16, 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
Jacob deGrom OVER 7.5 strikeouts (+117 DraftKings)
We are going to kick this off with Jacob deGrom, who, despite being 37 years old, can still mow them down in a big way. He has struck out 10 or more batters in two of his previous four starts and has a total of 57 punchouts across 44 2/3 innings pitched this season.
Overall, he has posted a 35.8% chase rate, 32.9% whiff rate, and a 32.8% K rate, all of which rank in the 89th percentile or better. He has also seen a ton of success with four of his five pitches, as each of them, aside from his sinker, which he uses least frequently, generates at least a 26.1% whiff rate.
While the matchup against Houston may look difficult on the surface, they have actually struggled mightily over the past couple of weeks. Over the previous two weeks, they have posted a 26.6% K rate versus right-handers, which ranks second-worst in the league behind only the Angels.
Additionally, they have posted just a 7.0% walk rate and an 83 wRC+ mark, so this could help keep deGrom in the game. The fact that he is pitching indoors in Houston also should not hurt.
Logan Gilbert OVER 6.5 strikeouts (+110 Hard Rock)
This is the first time this season that I am going to be recommending and subsequently playing Logan Gilbert. I love the fact that he is at home in this matchup, where he has posted an 11.1 K/9 compared to a 9.4 on the road since 2024. This season, he has struck out 52 batters across 50 IP, and has struck out seven or more batters in half of his home starts.
The matchup against San Diego currently is much better than it has ever been in the past, as the Padres are striking out way more in 2026 than they have in years past. Over the previous two weeks, this is especially true, as they are posting the third-highest K rate in the league versus right-handers over that span with a mark of 25.8%.
They are also posting a lousy 68 wRC+ mark and a sub-8% walk rate over that same span. Gilbert has posted a solid 29.4% whiff rate and 25.5% K rate this season as well, both of which rank in the 73rd percentile or better. This is a really good spot for him at plus money.
