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MLB Picks: Best Strikeout Prop Bets for Wednesday 7/1/26

MLB Picks: Best Strikeout Prop Bets for Wednesday 7/1/26

Arizona Diamondbacks Sports Betting Picks MLB MLB Picks

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By: Sam Connon

There are a handful of aces taking the mound Wednesday, from Twins righty Taj Bradley to Phillies All-Star Zack Wheeler and Diamondbacks veteran Zac Gallen. Will Wheeler continue to build his Cy Young resume? How will Bradley look coming out of an up-and-down June? Can Gallen salvage a potentially lost season? 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 (July 1, 2026)

  • Philadelphia Phillies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: Phillies RHP Zack Wheeler 7+ strikeouts: Wheeler reached 7+ K in 3 of his 5 starts in June, with all three of those hits coming at home, plus the Pirates average the third-most strikeouts per game across MLB.
  • Houston Astros vs. Minnesota Twins: Twins RHP Taj Bradley 6+ strikeouts: Bradley is 9-for-15 this season when it comes to tossing 6+ K heading into his matchup with an Astros lineup that is actually more strikeout-prone in Houston.
  • Arizona Diamondbacks vs. San Francisco Giants: Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen under 3.5 strikeouts: Gallen has come in under 3.5 K in five of his last six starts – including multiple outings that lasted into the 6th inning – all while the Giants average the fifth-fewest strikeouts per game.

MLB Strikeout Prop Bets Breakdown

Zack Wheeler 7+ K (-182), Philadelphia Phillies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

Over his last five starts, Wheeler has recorded seven or more strikeouts three times. Each of the last three times Wheeler has pitched at Citizen’s Bank Park, he has reached that mark. Since making his season debut on April 25, Wheeler is 8-1 with a 2.03 ERA, 0.863 WHIP and 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings. That last figure is well below his 10.1 K/9 from 2024 and his 11.7 K/9 in 2025. But again, he is averaging 9.9 K/9 at home and has tossed at least 5.2 frames every time he has taken the mound in Philadelphia. As for his matchup, the Pirates average the third-most strikeouts per game in MLB. On the road, Pittsburgh’s 10.02 strikeouts per game are good for the second-most in the big leagues. Wheeler already faced the Pirates in May, racking up eight strikeouts in 7.0 shutout innings.

Taj Bradley 6+ K (-143), Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Mets

Bradley has reached seven-plus strikeouts in nine of his 15 starts this season, including six of his last nine and two of his last three. This bet has hit in five of Bradley’s nine road outings, as well as seven of his 11 starts that have lasted at least 5.0 innings. Bradley’s 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings are a notable step up from his 8.0 from a year ago, but more in line with his 10.5 between 2023 and 2024. Per Baseball Savant, Bradley ranks in the 69th percentile in K% and the 58th percentile in Whiff %, doing most of his damage with a fastball that ranks in the 89th percentile in run value. And while the Astros rank No. 17 in strikeouts per game on the whole this year, they actually average 1.17 more at home than they do on the road. Over their last three contests, Houston has struck out 30 times, averaging 7.7 in the first 5.0 innings of those games.

Zac Gallen under 3.5 K (-103), Arizona Diamondbacks vs. San Francisco Giants

Gallen’s best days appear to be behind him, as his ERA has climbed for the fourth consecutive season. Through 17 starts in 2026, it’s up to 6.15, all while his strikeouts per nine innings sit at a career-low 5.4. Gallen has only topped 3.5 strikeouts in one of his last six appearances, and even in the one over, he only made it to four. Despite lasting 6.2 innings his last time out, the 30-year-old righty didn’t post a single strikeout against the Rays. San Francisco only averages 0.63 more strikeouts per game than Tampa Bay, ranking No. 5 when it comes to limiting opposing pitchers’ numbers in that category. Gallen’s K% ranks in the 3rd percentile, while his Whiff % ranks in the 7th.

More MLB Betting Content & Picks

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Good luck with your MLB prop bets today!

Sam Connon
Sam joined DraftKings in 2025 following five years with Sports Illustrated’s “On SI” network. He has covered the UCLA Bruins, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Rays, MLB, MiLB and NBA, on top of earning awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and College Media Association during his time as a student at UCLA.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.