# MLB Strikeout Props Today (May 7, 2026) — Best Pitcher K Picks

> MLB strikeout prop picks for May 7, 2026 - Shota Imanaga leads the board across 10 games. 6-factor scoring model ranks pitchers by K likelihood.

**Date:** 2026-05-07  
**Author:** HeatCheck HQ  
**Tags:** MLB, Strikeouts, Pitcher Props, K Props, Daily Picks, Player Props  
**Full article:** https://heatcheckhq.io/blog/mlb-strikeout-picks-may-7-2026  
**Live picks & dashboards:** https://heatcheckhq.io

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**Today's best MLB strikeout prop picks for Thursday, May 7, 2026** are Shota Imanaga (Score: 75 — 9.42 K/9, 31.7% whiff rate), Max Meyer (Score: 71 — 9.73 K/9, 29.6% whiff rate), MacKenzie Gore (Score: 68 — 11.84 K/9, 25.7% whiff rate). Rankings are generated by HeatCheck HQ's 6-factor pitcher K scoring model, updated daily.

# MLB Strikeout Props Today — May 7, 2026

10-game slate, 20 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 6](/blog/mlb-strikeout-picks-may-6-2026)

## Today's Slate

- TEX @ NYY (MacKenzie Gore vs Paul Blackburn) - 12:35 PM ET
- MIN @ WSH (Simeon Woods Richardson vs Jake Irvin) - 1:05 PM ET
- CLE @ KC (Slade Cecconi vs Seth Lugo) - 2:10 PM ET
- CIN @ CHC (Rhett Lowder vs Shota Imanaga) - 2:20 PM ET
- NYM @ COL (Christian Scott vs Jose Quintana) - 3:10 PM ET
- PIT @ AZ (Mitch Keller vs Zac Gallen) - 3:40 PM ET
- ATH @ PHI (J.T. Ginn vs Andrew Painter) - 6:40 PM ET
- BAL @ MIA (Cade Povich vs Max Meyer) - 6:40 PM ET
- TB @ BOS (Griffin Jax vs Jake Bennett) - 7:10 PM ET
- STL @ SD (Matthew Liberatore vs Michael King) - 10:10 PM ET

## Pick 1: Shota Imanaga — CHC vs CIN

LHP | 43 K on season | Wrigley Field

*43 K · 9.42 K/9 · 31.7% whiff · 2.40 ERA · 0.85 WHIP · 22.0% opp K rate*

**Top K play tonight.** A 31.7% whiff rate is in territory only a handful of starters in the league reach. Shota Imanaga brings that to the mound against CIN tonight.

The split-finger (43.9% whiff) is the put-away offering when he needs it. The 9.42 K/9 is the season-long anchor.

> **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: Max Meyer — MIA vs BAL

RHP | 40 K on season | loanDepot park

*40 K · 9.73 K/9 · 29.6% whiff · 2.68 ERA · 1.03 WHIP · 22.0% opp K rate*

When a single pitch generates 43.5% whiffs at 27% usage, that's the K-prop case. Max Meyer's slider is exactly that pitch.

The 29.6% whiff rate underneath confirms the stuff is real, not BABIP-fueled. The 9.73 K/9 is the season-long anchor.

## Pick 3: MacKenzie Gore — TEX vs NYY

LHP | 45 K on season | Yankee Stadium

*45 K · 11.84 K/9 · 25.7% whiff · 4.67 ERA · 1.36 WHIP · 22.0% opp K rate*

When the K/9 is 11.84, the projection writes itself. MacKenzie Gore is a strikeout artist by trade, and NYY's lineup is the next set of victims.

The 25.7% whiff rate underneath confirms the stuff is real, not BABIP-fueled. The changeup (32.3% whiff) is the put-away offering when he needs it. Worth flagging: 1.36 WHIP. Traffic on the bases pulls a manager's hook earlier than you want for K props.

## Honorable Mentions

- **Michael King** (SD) vs STL — 8.95 K/9, 27.6% whiff, 2.95 ERA, 39 K
- **Jake Irvin** (WSH) vs MIN — 10.26 K/9, 26.0% whiff, 4.93 ERA, 39 K
- **Mitch Keller** (PIT) vs AZ — 6.80 K/9, 23.0% whiff, 2.85 ERA, 31 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-7-2026) — Statcast-driven home run picks
- [NRFI Picks Today](/blog/mlb-nrfi-picks-may-7-2026) — 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*