Michael Rathburn is here with your MLB Betting Props of the Day for August 4. Which August 4th strikeout props make up the Best Baseball Prop Picks Today 8/4/21?
MLB Betting Props of the Day: Best Baseball Prop Picks Today
Eduardo Rodriguez, SP, Boston Red Sox @ Detroit Tigers (7:10 p.m. ET)
Under 6.5 Strikeouts (-120)
Wager: 1 unit
Rodriguez is the epitome of a starting pitcher in 2021, as he has a 5.60 ERA and 1.41 WHIP despite striking out 27.9% of opposing batters. This makes for a challenging bet, as I feel confident that Detroit’s righty-heavy lineup can do damage against him, but will E-Rod last long enough to strike out seven batters?
I’m betting on the under here, as he’s averaging 6.1 strikeouts per start and has eclipsed 6.5 whiffs in just nine of his 20 starts this year. The Tigers’ offense has also been on fire lately, hitting .264 with 5.6 runs per game and only 8.3 strikeouts per game (.92 per inning) since July 1st. Their 14% strikeout rate against left-handed pitchers at home is also the lowest in baseball during that time.
Rodriguez has had trouble pitching deep into games this year, averaging just under five innings per start. I can see him approaching five or six Ks in the game tonight, but seven will be a stretch.
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J.A. Happ, SP, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves (8:15 p.m. ET)
Under 4.5 Strikeouts (-125)
Wager: 1 unit
In a rather head-scratching move, the Cardinals acquired Happ and his 6.77 ERA from the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline. Happ currently leads the majors in earned runs with 74 and is trending in the wrong direction with an 8.74 ERA and 1.035 opponent OPS over his last 14 starts.
Furthermore, Happ has exceeded 4.5 strikeouts in only five of his 19 outings this season. Even with the trade to the National League, the 38-year-old lefty has been an under bet for strikeout props all season, as he averages only 5.2 innings and 4.1 strikeouts per start.
The 4.5 number is probably because of his shift to the NL along with Atlanta having a high strikeout number all season. The problem is that Happ has one of the lowest strikeout rates in baseball at 7.0 K/9. The Braves also feast on finesse pitchers with a .794 OPS against them this year and have retooled their lineup to include more right-handed power such as Jorge Soler and Adam Duvall, which does not bode well for Happ in his Cardinals debut tonight. Bet the under on him again.
