Thursday’s MLB playoff board is short but loaded. The Rays and Guardians open an afternoon ALCS Game 3 at Progressive Field at 1:00 p.m. ET with the series tied 1-1, and the Dodgers try to stay alive against a Brewers team that leads the NLCS 3-0 in an 8:00 p.m. ET Game 4. Two games means fewer places to hide, so we are zeroing in on one of the most beginner-friendly markets in baseball: pitcher strikeouts.

If you are new to props, a strikeout prop is simply a bet on how many batters a pitcher will strike out. You pick Over or Under a number set by the sportsbook. It is a great place to start because you only need to understand one pitcher, how often he misses bats, and how long he is likely to stay in the game. Here are three strikeout plays and the reasoning behind each.

Gavin Williams Over 6.5 Strikeouts

Williams has been a strikeout machine all year. He finished the regular season with 248 strikeouts in 184.1 innings, which works out to about 12.1 per nine innings. Then October arrived and he got even better, piling up 24 strikeouts in 11.2 postseason innings, including 12 strikeouts over 5.1 one-hit innings in Game 5 of the ALDS against the White Sox.

The matchup helps too. Williams faced Tampa Bay once this season and struck out nine across 7.2 innings. The Rays only strike out about 19 percent of the time against right-handed pitching over the full season, but that number has climbed to roughly 27.6 percent over the last 30 days, which tells us they have been chasing more lately. The line sits at 6.5 at most books, with the Over priced around +102 at FanDuel and +111 at DraftKings, so you are getting plus money on a pitcher who has cleared this number in each of his two postseason starts. One note on the setup: this game was moved up to 1 p.m. because of rain in the forecast, and early starts have favored pitchers in this series so far.

Tyler Glasnow Over 5.5 Strikeouts

Glasnow is the Dodgers’ answer in a must-win game, and strikeouts are what he does. He struck out 98 hitters this season and carries a strikeout rate in the neighborhood of 34 percent, or roughly 11.8 per nine innings. His recent history is telling: over his last 10 regular-season outings he averaged 7.4 strikeouts, including 11 and 10 strikeouts in back-to-back September starts.

The Brewers are expected to counter with left-hander Robert Gasser, although Milwaukee had not officially confirmed its starter at the time of writing. Whoever pitches, Milwaukee’s lineup strikes out about 22 percent of the time, which is right in Glasnow’s wheelhouse. We prefer 5.5 over 6.5 here because of the risk. In his NLDS start against Atlanta he struck out five over 4.2 innings but walked five, and the Dodgers pulled him after just 78 pitches. If he labors again, a short outing could cap his total, so the lower number gives you more cushion. Shop around: 5.5 has been listed around -156, so check your book for the current price before you bet.

Griffin Jax Over 1.5 Strikeouts

This is the safest pick on the card, and also the most expensive. Jax will make his first postseason start for Tampa Bay after pitching two innings of relief against the Yankees in the ALDS, where he struck out four. He finished the regular season with 116 strikeouts in 112.1 innings and was at his best as a starter, going 7-8 with a 3.14 ERA across 103.1 innings in that role.

The strikeout line is just 1.5, and the market has priced it accordingly: roughly -669 to -733 on the Over. That means you would risk a lot to win a little, so this is a leg to treat with caution rather than a standalone big bet. Our one concern is workload. Jax has only worked out of the bullpen in October, so Tampa Bay could manage him carefully and pull him early. Even so, a pitcher with his bat-missing profile only needs two strikeouts, and he picked up four in two relief innings last time out. Use this as a parlay anchor if you like, or skip it if the price does not fit your bankroll. If you want to see what a heavy favorite price really costs you, our betting calculator shows the math.

Lock These In

Strikeout props reward patience and a little homework. Williams has the best combination of price, form, and matchup. Glasnow has the highest ceiling with some blow-up risk, and Jax is a high-probability play at a steep price. Compare prices through the live MLB odds page before locking anything in, since lines move all day.

Two games, three arms, and a lot of swings and misses expected. Bet responsibly, and only wager what you can afford to lose.