There are a handful of aces taking the mound Friday, from Royals righty Randy Dobnak to Reds ace Chase Burns and Blue Jays Cy Young contender Dylan Cease. Can Dobnak continue his breakout second half? How much work will Burns get against Chicago? Will Cease make one last push for hardware? 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 (September 18, 2026)
- Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Kansas City Royals: Royals RHP Randy Dobnak 4+ strikeouts: Dobnak has recorded 4+ K in 6 of his last 7, as well as 4 straight on the road, while PIT has struck out 4+ times through 4.0 innings in 5 of their last 6.
- Cincinnati Reds vs. Chicago Cubs: Reds RHP Chase Burns 5+ strikeouts: Even with the Reds limiting Burns’ workload down the stretch, he has still posted 5+ K in 8 straight starts and 7 when he faced CHC in late August.
- Texas Rangers vs. Toronto Blue Jays: Blue Jays RHP Dylan Cease 7+ strikeouts: Cease has reached 7+ K in 21 of his last 22 starts and 10 of his last 11 road appearances, plus he already generated 10 K the last time he faced the Rangers.
MLB Strikeout Prop Bets Breakdown
Randy Dobnak 4+ K (+114), Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Kansas City Royals
Since joining the Royals’ pitching staff in July, Dobnak owns a 2.73 ERA and 2.0 WAR. And while his 6.1 strikeouts per nine innings aren’t exactly gaudy, he has gone for four-plus strikeouts in six of his last seven starts. He has achieved the feat in four straight road starts, as well. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, averages the fourth-most strikeouts per game in MLB this season. The Pirates’ lineup has racked up 34 strikeouts in their last three games alone. They have struck out at least four times through 4.0 innings in five of their last six contests. Dobnak has lasted at least 4.0 innings in every single one of his appearances this season.
Chase Burns 5+ K (+131), Cincinnati Reds vs. Chicago Cubs
The Reds have fallen out of the playoff picture and, as a result, are no longer giving Burns his full workload. The 23-year-old got the hook after just 3.0 innings in each of his last two starts, and he probably only has two more appearances left in 2026. That being said, Burns still tossed five strikeouts in both of those shortened outings. He has also gone for five-plus punchouts in eight straight, including his seven-strikeout performance against the Cubs on August 30. Back in Cincinnati, I like Burns to make the most of a brief evening once again.
Dylan Cease 7+ K (-149), Texas Rangers vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Cease has gone for seven-plus strikeouts in 21 of his last 22 appearances. When Cease faced the Rangers earlier this season, he managed to notch 10 strikeouts despite allowing four earned runs and five walks in just 4.2 innings of work. While this rematch is taking place in Arlington rather than Toronto, Cease has made it to seven strikeouts in 10 of his last 11 road starts.
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 Friday 9/18/26
- MLB Best Bets Today: Top NRFI props for Friday 9/18/26
- MLB NRFI Tracker
Good luck with your MLB prop bets today!
