# MLB Strikeout Props Today (May 5, 2026) — Best Pitcher K Picks

> Who racks up strikeouts tonight? 15 games analyzed through K/9, whiff rate, and matchup data - Jacob deGrom leads the K board. Updated daily.

**Date:** 2026-05-05  
**Author:** HeatCheck HQ  
**Tags:** MLB, Strikeouts, Pitcher Props, K Props, Daily Picks, Player Props  
**Full article:** https://heatcheckhq.io/blog/mlb-strikeout-picks-may-5-2026  
**Live picks & dashboards:** https://heatcheckhq.io

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**Today's best MLB strikeout prop picks for Tuesday, May 5, 2026** are Jacob deGrom (Score: 82 — 11.58 K/9, 31.6% whiff rate), Gavin Williams (Score: 80 — 11.07 K/9, 30.3% whiff rate), Shohei Ohtani (Score: 78 — 10.20 K/9, 31.4% whiff rate). Rankings are generated by HeatCheck HQ's 6-factor pitcher K scoring model, updated daily.

# MLB Strikeout Props Today — May 5, 2026

15-game slate, 28 probable starters. These pitchers have the K rate and matchup to pile up strikeouts.

> [Pitching Stats Dashboard](/mlb/pitching-stats) — full pitcher arsenals and K metrics for every starter.

> **Yesterday's K picks:** [MLB Strikeout Picks - May 4](/blog/mlb-strikeout-picks-may-4-2026)

## Today's Slate

- BOS @ DET (Jovani Morán vs Framber Valdez) - 6:40 PM ET
- TOR @ TB (Kevin Gausman vs Drew Rasmussen) - 6:40 PM ET
- ATH @ PHI (Luis Severino vs Cristopher Sánchez) - 6:40 PM ET
- BAL @ MIA (Chris Bassitt vs Sandy Alcantara) - 6:40 PM ET
- MIN @ WSH (Taj Bradley vs Cade Cavalli) - 6:45 PM ET
- TEX @ NYY (Jacob deGrom vs Elmer Rodríguez) - 7:05 PM ET
- CIN @ CHC (Andrew Abbott vs Jameson Taillon) - 7:40 PM ET
- CLE @ KC (Gavin Williams vs Stephen Kolek) - 7:40 PM ET
- MIL @ STL (Brandon Sproat vs Andre Pallante) - 7:45 PM ET
- LAD @ HOU (Shohei Ohtani vs Peter Lambert) - 8:10 PM ET
- NYM @ COL (Freddy Peralta vs Michael Lorenzen) - 8:40 PM ET
- CWS @ LAA (Erick Fedde vs TBD) - 9:38 PM ET
- PIT @ AZ (Bubba Chandler vs Eduardo Rodriguez) - 9:40 PM ET
- ATL @ SEA (Bryce Elder vs George Kirby) - 9:40 PM ET
- SD @ SF (Walker Buehler vs Logan Webb) - 9:45 PM ET

## Pick 1: Jacob deGrom — TEX vs NYY

RHP | 40 K on season | Yankee Stadium

*40 K · 11.58 K/9 · 31.6% whiff · 2.01 ERA · 0.96 WHIP · 22.0% opp K rate*

**Top K play tonight.** Jacob deGrom's 11.58 K/9 puts him in elite strikeout territory — the kind of arm that punches out a batter every nine pitches he's in the game. Tonight against NYY he keeps adding to the season total.

The 31.6% whiff rate underneath confirms the stuff is real, not BABIP-fueled. The changeup (39.5% whiff) is the put-away offering when he needs it.

> **Dig deeper into pitcher arsenals** on the [Pitching Stats dashboard](/mlb/pitching-stats) — see pitch mix, whiff rates, and velocity for every starter.

## Pick 2: Gavin Williams — CLE vs KC

RHP | 53 K on season | Kauffman Stadium

*53 K · 11.07 K/9 · 30.3% whiff · 2.70 ERA · 1.02 WHIP · 22.0% opp K rate*

11.07 K/9 is among the best in the game. Gavin Williams faces KC tonight, and if the strike zone cooperates, the K total piles up fast.

The 30.3% whiff rate underneath confirms the stuff is real, not BABIP-fueled. The sweeper (46.3% whiff) is the put-away offering when he needs it.

## Pick 3: Shohei Ohtani — LAD vs HOU

RHP | 34 K on season | Daikin Park

*34 K · 10.20 K/9 · 31.4% whiff · 0.60 ERA · 0.87 WHIP · 22.0% opp K rate*

When swings result in whiffs at this rate (31.4%), Ks follow. Shohei Ohtani brings exactly that profile against HOU.

The curveball (42.9% whiff) is the put-away offering when he needs it. The 10.20 K/9 is the season-long anchor.

## Honorable Mentions

- **Cristopher Sánchez** (PHI) vs ATH — 11.22 K/9, 30.3% whiff, 2.90 ERA, 50 K
- **Freddy Peralta** (NYM) vs COL — 9.92 K/9, 30.1% whiff, 3.52 ERA, 42 K
- **Cade Cavalli** (WSH) vs MIN — 11.32 K/9, 26.0% whiff, 3.82 ERA, 38 K

## Related Guides

- [MLB Stats Explained](/blog/mlb-stats-explained)
- [Hitter vs Pitcher Matchup Guide](/blog/hitter-vs-pitcher-matchup-guide)
- [MLB Weather Betting Guide](/blog/mlb-weather-betting-guide)

## Before You Lock

Check the [Pitching Stats dashboard](/mlb/pitching-stats) for full arsenal breakdowns and the [Hitting Stats page](/mlb/hitting-stats) for pitch mix analysis showing which lineups are most vulnerable to certain pitch types. Confirm lineups and starting pitchers before betting — a bullpen game changes everything. K/9 and whiff rate together are the strongest predictors of strikeout volume.

Our strikeout model scores probable starters across 6 factors — K/9, whiff rate, opposing team K tendency, pitcher quality, workload pace, and venue. Full pitcher profiles on the [Pitching Stats dashboard](/mlb/pitching-stats).

**More from HeatCheck HQ:**
- [Pitching Stats Dashboard](/mlb/pitching-stats) — pitcher arsenals, K rates, and advanced metrics
- [Hitting Stats Dashboard](/mlb/hitting-stats) — batter K vulnerability and pitch mix analysis
- [Dinger Picks Today](/blog/mlb-dinger-of-the-day-may-5-2026) — Statcast-driven home run picks
- [NRFI Picks Today](/blog/mlb-nrfi-picks-may-5-2026) — no run first inning best bets

*Updated as lineups confirm. Full slate at [heatcheckhq.io](https://heatcheckhq.io).*

## Related Resources

- Parent hub: [MLB Props Hub](/blog/topic/mlb-props)
- Daily stream: [MLB Strikeout Picks](/blog/stream/mlb-strikeout-picks)
- Author: [HeatCheck HQ](/blog/author/heatcheck-hq)
- Browse all posts: [Sports Betting Insights & Guides](/blog)


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*Data powered by HeatCheck HQ — sports analytics platform. Free tools at https://heatcheckhq.io*