# MLB Strikeout Props Today (May 9, 2026) — Best Pitcher K Picks

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

**Date:** 2026-05-09  
**Author:** HeatCheck HQ  
**Tags:** MLB, Strikeouts, Pitcher Props, K Props, Daily Picks, Player Props  
**Full article:** https://heatcheckhq.io/blog/mlb-strikeout-picks-may-9-2026  
**Live picks & dashboards:** https://heatcheckhq.io

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**Today's best MLB strikeout prop picks for Saturday, May 9, 2026** are Chase Burns (Score: 70 — 10.10 K/9, 34.8% whiff rate), Cam Schlittler (Score: 69 — 10.13 K/9, 29.8% whiff rate), Braxton Ashcraft (Score: 65 — 9.83 K/9, 30.1% whiff rate). Rankings are generated by HeatCheck HQ's 6-factor pitcher K scoring model, updated daily.

# MLB Strikeout Props Today — May 9, 2026

Every probable starter scored across 6 K factors. 29 candidates, 15 games — here are the plays.

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

> **Yesterday's K picks:** [MLB Strikeout Picks - May 8](/blog/mlb-strikeout-picks-may-8-2026)

## Today's Slate

- LAA @ TOR (Jack Kochanowicz vs Trey Yesavage) - 3:07 PM ET
- ATH @ BAL (Aaron Civale vs Shane Baz) - 4:05 PM ET
- HOU @ CIN (Spencer Arrighetti vs Chase Burns) - 4:10 PM ET
- TB @ BOS (Nick Martinez vs Payton Tolle) - 4:10 PM ET
- WSH @ MIA (Zack Littell vs Janson Junk) - 4:10 PM ET
- COL @ PHI (Kyle Freeland vs Aaron Nola) - 6:05 PM ET
- MIN @ CLE (Joe Ryan vs Tanner Bibee) - 6:10 PM ET
- CHC @ TEX (Edward Cabrera vs Jack Leiter) - 7:05 PM ET
- DET @ KC (Burch Smith vs Michael Wacha) - 7:10 PM ET
- SEA @ CWS (Luis Castillo vs Anthony Kay) - 7:10 PM ET
- NYY @ MIL (Cam Schlittler vs Kyle Harrison) - 7:10 PM ET
- NYM @ AZ (Clay Holmes vs Merrill Kelly) - 7:15 PM ET
- STL @ SD (Dustin May vs Randy Vásquez) - 7:15 PM ET
- PIT @ SF (Braxton Ashcraft vs Landen Roupp) - 9:05 PM ET
- ATL @ LAD (Spencer Strider vs Blake Snell) - 9:10 PM ET

## Pick 1: Chase Burns — CIN vs HOU

RHP | 46 K on season | Great American Ball Park

*46 K · 10.10 K/9 · 34.8% whiff · 2.20 ERA · 1.02 WHIP · 22.0% opp K rate*

**Top K play tonight.** Chase Burns runs a elite 34.8% whiff rate (90th+ percentile). Swing-and-miss stuff is the foundation of strikeout production, and his is the foundation of tonight's lean.

The slider (50.0% whiff) is the put-away offering when he needs it. The 10.10 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: Cam Schlittler — NYY vs MIL

RHP | 53 K on season | American Family Field

*53 K · 10.13 K/9 · 29.8% whiff · 1.52 ERA · 0.87 WHIP · 22.0% opp K rate*

Cam Schlittler's 4-seam fastball is a put-away pitch — a 37.6% whiff rate on the season. He throws it 45% of the time, which means MIL's hitters see it constantly.

The 29.8% whiff rate underneath confirms the stuff is real, not BABIP-fueled. The 10.13 K/9 is the season-long anchor.

## Pick 3: Braxton Ashcraft — PIT vs SF

RHP | 45 K on season | Oracle Park

*45 K · 9.83 K/9 · 30.1% whiff · 3.02 ERA · 1.08 WHIP · 22.0% opp K rate*

A 30.1% whiff rate is in territory only a handful of starters in the league reach. Braxton Ashcraft brings that to the mound against SF tonight.

The curveball (46.2% whiff) is the put-away offering when he needs it. The 9.83 K/9 is the season-long anchor.

## Honorable Mentions

- **Kyle Harrison** (MIL) vs NYY — 10.79 K/9, 27.7% whiff, 2.12 ERA, 35 K
- **Landen Roupp** (SF) vs PIT — 9.87 K/9, 25.7% whiff, 3.18 ERA, 43 K
- **Jack Leiter** (TEX) vs CHC — 10.18 K/9, 29.7% whiff, 5.45 ERA, 43 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-9-2026) — Statcast-driven home run picks
- [NRFI Picks Today](/blog/mlb-nrfi-picks-may-9-2026) — 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*