There are a handful of notable pitchers taking the mound Monday, from Nationals veteran Miles Mikolas and Padres righty Walker Buehler to Dodgers swingman Eric Lauer. Will Mikolas’ lackluster June bleed over into July? Can Buehler shake off a disastrous performance? Is Lauer bound for another quality start? 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 6, 2026)
- Washington Nationals vs. Houston Astros: Nationals RHP Miles Mikolas under 3.5 strikeouts: There aren’t many pitchers worse than Mikolas when it comes to generating whiffs or strikeouts, not to mention how disciplined the Astros lineup has been on the road.
- San Diego Padres vs. Arizona Diamondbacks: Padres RHP Walker Buehler 5+ strikeouts: Buehler has tossed 5+ K in four straight starts and seven of his last 11, even doing so when his streak of clean outings came to a close last week.
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Colorado Rockies: Dodgers LHP Eric Lauer under 4.5 strikeouts: Between his time with both the Dodgers and Blue Jays, Lauer has come in under 4.5 strikeouts in 12 of his last 13 showings, including his last time out against the Rockies.
MLB Strikeout Prop Bets Breakdown
Miles Mikolas under 3.5 K (-182), Washington Nationals vs. Houston Astros
Mikolas’ return to the Nationals’ rotation last week wasn’t very pretty, since he gave up nine hits, two homers and six earned runs before getting the hook. He only struck out three in 7.0 innings against the Red Sox in that contest, as well. It marked Mikolas’ fifth consecutive appearance with fewer than 3.5 strikeouts – including a scoreless 7.0-inning relief showing against a Mariners lineup that strikes out at a top-10 rate. The Astros, on the other hand, strike out the 10th fewest times per game across MLB. Houston averages the second-fewest strikeouts per road game in MLB. Mikolas has come in under Monday’s line in five of his seven starts and 13 of his 18 appearances on the whole this season. He also hasn’t gone above four strikeouts in any one game this year, so there hasn’t proved to be much of a ceiling with his strikeout production. Per Baseball Savant, Mikolas ranks in just the second percentile in K% and the first percentile in Whiff %.
Walker Buehler 5+ K (+129), San Diego Padres vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
On the whole this season, Buehler is just 8-for-17 when it comes to recording five or more strikeouts. However, he has accomplished the feat in four straight starts, as well as seven of his 11 outings since May 1. And while the Diamondbacks typically pose a threat to opposing pitchers’ strikeout totals, they do average 2.09 more per game on the road than they do at home. Buehler has reached five-plus strikeouts in seven of his 11 outings that have lasted at least 5.0 innings. He has gone that deep in nine of his last 11 appearances, too, thanks in part to a dominant June. Buehler built a steady floor into his production by never allowing more than one earned run last month, posting a 1.71 ERA. Even when he got shelled for three homers and nine earned runs in 4.0 innings on July 1, he still had six strikeouts prior before his day was done.
Eric Lauer under 4.5 K (-130), Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Colorado Rockies
Elsewhere in the NL West, Eric Lauer will take on the Rockies. The lefty struck out nine in his season debut, back when he was still with the Blue Jays. Lauer has since made 13 appearances and come in under 4.5 strikeouts in 12 of them. Even across his active stretch of, effectively, three straight quality starts with the Dodgers, he hasn’t topped Monday’s line in any of them. The Rockies average the eighth-most strikeouts per game in baseball, but that is several spots higher than where they were just a few weeks ago. Since June 1, Colorado actually ranks in the top half of MLB when it comes to limiting strikeouts. Lauer also only struck out four when he took on the Rockies on May 26, and that was in a one-run, 6.0-inning gem.
More MLB Betting Content & Picks
Check out more MLB betting content and player props throughout the season on DraftKings Network.
- MLB DFS Picks: Starting Pitcher Rankings for Monday 7/6/26
- Most Bet MLB Player Props for Monday 7/6/26
- MLB NRFI Tracker
Good luck with your MLB prop bets today!
