There are a handful of aces taking the mound Wednesday, including Braves rookie JR Ritchie and a pair of All-Star lefties in Shane McClanahan and Carlos Rodón. Will McClanahan get back on track? Can Rodón keep his streak of quality starts alive? How will Ritchie look in his return to the rotation? Here is our full breakdown of where we think each starting pitcher will wind up in the strikeout column.
Best MLB Strikeout Prop Bets Today (June 17, 2026)
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Tampa Bay Rays: Rays LHP Shane McClanahan 5+ strikeouts: McClanahan has reached 5+ K in 8 of 13 starts this season, including 4 of his last 6 and 2 straight, plus the Dodgers are striking out a lot more often lately.
- New York Yankees vs. Chicago White Sox: Yankees LHP Carlos Rodón 6+ strikeouts: The White Sox are one of the four most strikeout-prone teams in MLB who are even worse on the road, all while Rodón has reached 6+ K in 4 of his last 5 appearances.
- Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants: Braves RHP JR Ritchie 4+ strikeouts: Ritchie shined as a long reliever in his first outing since getting recalled to the Braves’ big league roster, and now the rookie who has struck out 4+ in 5 of 6 appearances is returning to the rotation.
MLB Strikeout Prop Bets Breakdown
Shane McClanahan 5+ K (-121), Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Through 13 starts this season, McClanahan has tossed at least five strikeouts eight times. He has fallen one punchout short another three times, so he has almost always flirted with five strikeouts at the very least. McClanahan has gotten off to a shaky start in June, allowing eight hits and four earned runs in each of his first two outings this month, but he has still made it to six and seven strikeouts in those respective appearances. McClanahan racked up 11 walks in his first three starts, but he has just 11 walks in his 10 starts since. The southpaw’s control and command have taken a major leap forward, even when he hasn’t been on top of his game. He ranks in the 80th percentile in chase rate and the 68th percentile in whiff rate, per Baseball Savant. The Dodgers are also tied for the sixth-most strikeouts over their past three games, so they could be susceptible to McClanahan’s stuff on Wednesday.
Carlos Rodón 6+ K (-146), New York Yankees vs. Chicago White Sox
Rodón is averaging 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings this season, exactly in line with his career mark. He looked a bit off in his first two starts of the season in mid-May, but he has since rounded himself into shape. The lefty owns a 2.35 ERA and 1.043 WHIP dating back to May 21, putting up a quality start in three straight outings. Over his last five starts, Rodón has hit six-plus strikeouts in four of them. He has notched seven punchouts in three of his last four, including each of his last two. As for his matchup, Rodón is going against a White Sox team that he suited up for between 2015 and 2021. Chicago ranks fourth in strikeouts per game in 2026 and has allowed opposing starters to reach at least six strikeouts in three straight and four of their last five.
JR Ritchie 4+ K (-137), Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants
Ritchie exploded out of the gates after making his MLB debut in April, although he gave up six walks in his third start and six runs in his fifth. The Braves sent the 22-year-old righty back down to Triple-A, where he had two clean starts and one disastrous showing. Atlanta called Ritchie back up to serve as a long reliever last week, and he proceeded to strike out five in 5.0 innings. In six total appearances in the big leagues this season, Ritchie has hit four strikeouts five times. The Giants are one of baseball’s better teams when it comes to avoiding strikeouts, but they are worse on the road than they are at home. And while Luis Arraez and Luis Arraez are always going to be tough to strike out, San Francisco’s lineup also features free-swingers like Rafael Devers and Willy Adames.
More MLB Betting Content & Picks
Check out more MLB betting content and player props throughout the season on DraftKings Network.
- MLB NRFI Tracker
- MLB Best Bets Today: Top Expert Betting Picks for Wednesday 6/17/26
- MLB DFS Picks: Starting Pitcher Rankings for Wednesday 6/17/26
Good luck with your MLB prop bets today!
