MLB Pitcher Props for Aug. 21: Sonny Gray Turns In Solid Start

MLB Player Props Archives |
Written By Chris Kubala | Published at August 21, 2026
Jul 10, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches against the New York Mets during the third inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

As we head into the late stages of August, we’re starting to see the wheat separate from the chaff in the playoff picture. Friday night has all 30 teams in action, beginning with a battle of National League division leaders in Cream City as the Braves face off with the Brewers at 4:10 pm ET. We’ve taken a look at the matchups on the docket and found the best options are as far as betting on MLB pitcher props on the board. Read on to get our breakdown of the top plays for Friday, August 21 on the diamond.

Best MLB Pitcher Strikeout Bets Today: Player Props for August 21

Sean Burke, White Sox Over 5.5 Strikeouts (DraftKings, -149)

Burke is a major reason the White Sox are in the mix for a playoff spot just two seasons after losing 121 games. He enters this game 7-6 with a 3.15 ERA, a 1.107 WHIP, 42 walks and 154 strikeouts over 140 innings of work on the year. Burke gets a crack at a Mets squad that has been disappointing all season long. New York is 18th in the majors in strikeout rate as they whiff an average of 8.49 times per nine innings. Meanwhile, that number climbs to 8.75 times per game as the visiting side. With a relative unfamiliarity with what Burke throws, he should take advantage of the situation. After all, current Mets hitters have a collective eight at-bats against him. In addition, Burke has at least eight whiffs in five of his last eight starts. You could bump up accordingly if you choose.

Cam Schlittler, Yankees Over 6.5 Strikeouts (FanDuel, +120)

Schlittler is a front of the rotation guy for the Yankees this season. He is 10-6 with a 2.19 ERA, a 0.941 WHIP, 34 walks and 189 strikeouts over 152 innings of work on the year. Toronto strikes out at the second-lowest rate in the majors, whiffing 7.27 times per nine innings. Current Toronto hitters have faced Schlittler in 89 official at-bats. They own a .258 collective average against him while drawing 11 walks in those appearances. Meanwhile, Schittler has 22 punchouts in those confrontations. He’s fourth in the majors in strikeouts on the year. In addition, each of his three starts against the Blue Jays this season resulted in seven strikeouts. He racks them up again here to cash the prop.

Fanatics 10 x $100 bet match in FanCash
Bet Now Fanatics Promo
Must be 21+. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER OR CALL 1-800-MY-RESET, www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), (800)-327-5050 or gamblinghelplinema.org (MA), Call (877)8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), (888) 789-7777 or ccpg.org (CT), morethanagame.nc.gov (NC), 1800gambler.net (WV)

Best MLB Pitcher Prop Picks Today (08/21):

MacKenzie Gore, Rangers Over 17.5 Outs (Fanatics, -150)

Gore gets a double dose of good news in this contest in regards to being able to potentially go deep in this start. For starters, he pitches at Globe Life Field, which tends to skew toward being a pitcher friendly ballpark. Gore is 3-2 with a 3.27 ERA over 63.1 innings in 11 starts there this season. In addition to that, he faces an Angels squad that is free-swinging (29th in the majors with 9.43 whiffs per game) and struggling to score. Los Angeles is tied for 26th in the majors with 4.03 runs per game. If Gore maintains his control on the bump, we should see him complete six frames for the 10th time this season.

Sonny Gray, Red Sox Over 18.5 Outs (DraftKings, +114)

Gray has been a solid front of the rotation guy for the Red Sox, pitching better than expected for the 36-year-old righthander. He is 15-3 with a 2.65 ERA, a 1.146 WHIP, 34 walks and 117 strikeouts over 132.2 innings of work in 23 starts this year. In addition, Gray has thrown at least six innings in 17 of his starts this year. That includes at least five starts where he completed seven-plus innings. Meanwhile, he has recorded at least six innings in 13 of his last 14 starts dating back to May 30. In his career, he is 4-1 with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP over 51.1 innings in nine career starts against the Giants. Expect Gray to turn in another six-plus inning start in this contest to put this one in the win column.

 

 

Related News