Today's best MLB pitcher strikeout props: Fade Shohei Ohtani against Angels

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani faces his former team for the first time as a pitcher, as he'll take the mound against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. Ohtani, 31, spent the first six seasons of his career with the Angels, winning the AL MVP award twice, before signing a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers after the 2023 season. On Wednesday, Ohtani (0-0, 2.37 ERA) will be making just his ninth start since undergoing Tommy John surgery, which prevented him from pitching all of last year. He is set to square off against the Angels' Kyle Hendricks (6-8, 4.63). 

Top sportsbooks have set Ohtani's total pitcher strikeout prop at 5.5 and Hendricks' at 3.5. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every MLB game 10,000 times, rates Ohtani Under 5.5 as a 4.5-star play on its 5-star scale and Hendricks Over 3.5 as a 3.5-star play.

Ohtani Under 5.5 is one of the model's top three pitcher strikeout props on Wednesday's 15-game schedule. There are two other pitcher strikeout props that the model has rated at 4.5, both of which would pay plus money.

Jake Irvin Over 3.5 strikeouts vs. Royals (2:10 p.m. ET)

Rating: 4.5 stars
Model projection: 4.1 strikeouts

The 28-year-old Nationals righty (8-7, 4.90) has gone Over 3.5 strikeouts in 12 of 24 starts this season and is averaging 3.8 strikeouts per start. The SportsLine Projection Model notes that Irvin has gone Over his pitcher strikeout prop in eight of his last 15 games when he is on the road, averaging 4.1 strikeouts per game. On Tuesday, he faces a Kansas City club that scores just 3.74 runs per game, the third worst in all of baseball. 

Shohei Ohtani Under 5.5 strikeouts vs. Angels (9:38 p.m. ET)

Rating: 4.5 stars
Model projection: 4.5 strikeouts

The two-way star still hasn't been stretched out fully this season, having gone more than three innings only once in eight starts after returning from Tommy John surgery. While Ohtani is coming off his best strikeout performance this season (eight in four innings), that was his only start this season with more than four strikeouts. Ohtani is averaging 1.3 strikeouts per inning, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the plan is for Ohtani to go just four innings on Wednesday.

J.T. Ginn Over 4.5 strikeouts vs. Rays (10:05 p.m. ET)

Rating: 4.5 stars
Model projection: 5.2 strikeouts

The 26-year-old Athletics righty has shuffled between the rotation and bullpen this season, but in the eight times he has started, he has gone Over 4.5 strikeouts in four of those. Ginn (2-4, 4.39) is coming off his best strikeout performance of the season: nine strikeouts in five innings against the Orioles. On Wednesday, he faces a Tampa Bay team that strikes out 8.50 times per game (12th most in baseball) and struck out 11 times on Tuesday against A's pitching.