It is a heated race for the MLB strikeouts leader in 2022. Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes leads the way with 134 and Dylan Cease of the White Sox is second at 133. He is tied with Tampa Bay’s Shane McClanahan who will be in action tonight against Cincinnati.

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Also in action tonight is Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler. He led the National League in strikeouts last season with 247. Wheeler is currently in the top-20 with 99. He will face St. Louis tonight.

How will both pitchers fare? Here’s a look at the best MLB strikeouts props picks for Friday, July 8, 2022.

Shane McClanahan – OVER 7.5 Ks (+120)

Rays vs. Reds Prediction

McClanahan is tied for second in MLB with 133 strikeouts so far this season. He had 10 Ks in each of his last two starts against Toronto and Pittsburgh.

Tonight, the Rays ace faces a Cincinnati team that strikes out a lot. The Reds rank 21 st in Ks per game striking out 8.69 times.

McClanahan has gone Over this number in each of his last ten starts. Against a weak lineup, he will again.

MLB Odds

Aaron Ashby – UNDER 6.5 Ks (-120)

Pirates vs. Brwers Prediction

Ashby might be the best matchup of the night as he takes on the offensive disaster that is the Pittsburgh Pirates. Pittsburgh is 28th in runs, 28th in batting average, and 28th in OPS.

The Pirates also are posting a strikeout rate of 32.3 percent against left-handed pitchers. That number would be dead last in the majors.

The problem is that Ashby has only pitched through 4.2 innings in each of his last three starts. The last one was against this same Pittsburgh team and Ashby reached six Ks.

He’s only 1-6 on the season and the Brewers lost his last start against the Pirates. Getting to seven strikeouts will be difficult for Ashby.

Zack Wheeler – OVER 5.5 Ks (-145)

Phillies vs. Cardinals Prediction

Wheeler is 7-4 with a 2.66 ERA this season and is one of a handful of NL pitchers in contention for the league’s Cy Young Award.

Tonight, Wheeler faces a struggling Cardinals team that has won just two of its last eight games. St. Louis has been shut out twice and scored more than three runs just once in that span.

The Cards are posting a 24.3 percent K rate against right-handers over the past two weeks. That’s the seventh-worst mark in MLB. Wheeler has gone Over this total in all but three of his starts this season.

MLB Picks

Chris Bassitt – OVER 5.5 (+110)

Marlins vs. Mets Prediction

Bassitt starts a third consecutive game against NL East rival Miami. He allowed three earned runs in each game and the Mets won one and lost the other.

Bassitt recorded a total of 14 strikeouts in those two starts going Over this number once. The Marlins are striking out at a 23.4 percent rate against right-handers over the past two weeks.

Miami also ranks 25th in strikeouts per game averaging 8.8. Over their last three games, Marlins hitters have struck out 9.33 times per game.

Read our MLB strikeouts props betting guide next.