3 MLB Strikeout Props to Target on May 22, 2026

Friday’s MLB slate is packed with 15 games and some compelling pitching matchups that are worth circling on your prop sheet. With a full weekend card kicking off tonight, strikeout props are one of the best ways to find value — and today’s board has three pitchers who deserve serious attention.

These three picks are based on current season stats straight from the MLB API, matchup analysis, and the strikeout tendencies of the opposing lineups. Let’s break down why each one is worth targeting on May 22.

Cristopher Sanchez and His Ridiculous Numbers Deserve More Respect

Cristopher Sanchez has been one of the best kept secrets in the National League this season, and today against the Cleveland Guardians at Citizens Bank Park, he has a real chance to pile up strikeouts against a lineup that struggles against left-handed pitching.

Sanchez is 5-2 with a 1.82 ERA and has racked up 80 strikeouts across 64.1 innings pitched, good for 11.19 strikeouts per nine innings. He has also thrown a complete game shutout this year, showing his ability to log deep outings. His WHIP sits at 1.20, and he is holding opposing hitters to a .251 batting average with a .292 OBP — those are elite ratios at this point in the season.

The Guardians come in at 30-22 but face a genuine challenge against Sanchez’s sinker-changeup combination that generates weak contact and chases. Cleveland has been a decent offensive team this year, but they are not one of the high-contact lineups in the AL that can neutralize a starter with this kind of command. If your book is posting Sanchez at 5.5 or 6.5 strikeouts, the over is well worth a look based on his K/9 rate alone.

Davis Martin Is Quietly Having an Elite Season in Chicago

The name might not ring a bell immediately, but Davis Martin has put together one of the best statistical starts of any pitcher in baseball through May 22. The Chicago White Sox right-hander is 6-1 with a 1.61 ERA across 56 innings, and he has punched out 59 batters for a 9.48 strikeout rate per nine innings. Against the San Francisco Giants tonight at Oracle Park, the matchup sets up nicely.

The Giants lineup ranks among the more swing-happy groups in the NL, which tends to work in favor of pitchers with Martin’s ability to miss bats. Oracle Park is one of the most pitcher-friendly venues in baseball, suppressing offense through its notoriously cold and dense coastal air. Martin’s 6-1 record is not luck — he has been consistently generating outs at a high clip, and opposing hitters are batting a very low average against him.

When a pitcher is this effective this early in the season and faces a Giants lineup that will be working late on the West Coast, the conditions favor another strong strikeout performance. Check your book for current lines, but Martin’s profile strongly supports targeting the over on whatever strikeout total is posted.

Gavin Williams Has Found His Groove with 73 Strikeouts Already

On the other side of the Guardians-Phillies game, Gavin Williams is pitching for Cleveland tonight in Philadelphia. Williams is 6-3 with a 3.67 ERA and 73 strikeouts through 61.1 innings, posting a 10.71 strikeout rate per nine innings. He has faced a wide range of opposing lineups and continues to miss bats at a consistent rate.

Citizens Bank Park plays as a hitter-friendly environment, but Williams has demonstrated the ability to overpower lineups even in tough venues. The Phillies carry some legitimate power bats — Bryce Harper is having a strong season — but Williams’ strikeout rate against right-handed-heavy lineups has been particularly impressive. With 73 total punchouts in 61-plus innings, he is averaging better than seven strikeouts per outing.

This is a case where two quality pitchers are squaring off and strikeout props on both starters deserve attention. Williams at 5.5 over is a reasonable target given his rate-based numbers, and if books post him at 6.5, that is still defensible based on his season-long trajectory.

Lock These In Before First Pitch Tonight

All three of these strikeout props are supported by real 2026 season data, favorable matchups, and consistent performance through nearly 50 games. Here is the full list of recommended bets for tonight.

• Cristopher Sanchez OVER 5.5 strikeouts vs Cleveland Guardians (check your book for current lines)
• Davis Martin OVER 5.5 strikeouts vs San Francisco Giants (check your book for current lines)
• Gavin Williams OVER 5.5 strikeouts vs Philadelphia Phillies (check your book for current lines)

With all three starters posting strikeout rates north of 9.0 per nine innings, the over is firmly the play on any of these lines at 5.5 or lower. These are the kinds of props that reward patience and research, so get your bets in before first pitch and enjoy a full Friday night of baseball.