2022 MLB Regular Season Strikeout Odds and Betting Preview
The MLB saw over 42,000 strikeouts last season for only the second time ever as more players are swinging for home runs. Starting pitching is also improving as 17 total pitchers accumulated over 200 strikeouts with all but three averaging over 10 strikeouts every nine innings pitched (K/9).
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2022 MLB Strikeout Leader | Odds Updated on Thursday, March 31 |
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Gerrit Cole | +450 |
Jacob deGrom | +500 |
Max Scherzer | +650 |
Robbie Ray | +900 |
Corbin Burnes | +1100 |
Shane Bieber | +1100 |
Zach Wheeler | +1200 |
Justin Verlander | +1300 |
Aaron Nola | +1400 |
Lucas Giolito | +1400 |
Dylan Cease | +1500 |
Kevin Gausman | +1500 |
Walker Buehler | +1800 |
Freddy Peralta | +2000 |
Chris Sale | +2000 |
Brandon Woodruff | +2200 |
Carlos Rondon | +2500 |
Shohei Ohtani | +2500 |
Jose Berrios | +2500 |
Blake Snell | +3000 |
Charlie Morton | +3000 |
Luis Castillo | +3000 |
Jack Flaherty | +3000 |
Eduardo Rodriguez | +3500 |
Lance Lynn | +3500 |
Sandy Alcantara | +3500 |
German Marquez | +4500 |
Yu Darvish | +4500 |
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MLB Strikeout Leader Prediction and Analysis
What’s also exciting is that last year’s strikeout leader Robbie Ray switched teams over the offseason going from Toronto to Seattle which will probably help his cause to repeat as the AL East provides a much better slew of hitters than the AL West.
We also saw other big strikeout pitchers like Max Scherzer and Kevin Gausman switch teams as well as Scherzer will be with Jacob deGrom in New York arguably making up the best starting pitching duo for the Mets.
Gausman will replace Ray in Toronto’s rotation as he’ll face much tougher competition in the AL East than when he pitched for the Giants in the NL West.
MLB Strikeout Leader: Favorite to Bet
If you were to place a bet on both deGrom and Scherzer to win the strikeout crown you have a good shot to cash out at the end of the season but if we’re going to pick one it has to be Scherzer based on the injury history with deGrom.
Before deGrom was injured last season he had 14.3 K/9. If he would’ve played the whole season he would’ve ran away with the strikeout title.
In total Scherzer had 11.9 K/9 but if you don’t count the shortened 2020 season he hasn’t had less than 27 games started in a single season since his rookie year in 2008.
It’s easier to trust Scherzer’s projections than deGrom’s as this might be a way for the Mets to limit deGrom’s innings pitched as well knowing they can lean on Scherzer more to give them seven or eight innings on days they don’t want to utilize the bullpen as much.
So based on Scherzer likely pitching more total innings this season than deGrom and the injury history of deGrom, let’s go with Scherzer as the favorite to bet on to take the strikeout crown this year.
If you need one more piece of information to roll with Scherzer, he led the National League in strikeouts in three straight years from 2016-2018.
Prediction: Max Scherzer +650
MLB Strikeout Leader: Sleeper to Bet
Walker Buehler is back in the driver’s seat for the Dodgers as the team’s #1 pitcher after Scherzer’s brief stint there last year.
Buehler finished 10th in strikeouts last season and out of the top ten strikeout leaders, he had the second most total innings pitched only behind Philadelphia Phillies starter Zach Wheeler.
He did sport the lowest K/9 of the top ten strikeout pitchers last season at 9.2 but he does have the capability to get this number up over 10 and possibly 11 K/9.
He’s firmly overtaken Clayton Kershaw as the team’s opening day starter which says a lot considering Kershaw’s excellent pitching throughout his career.
What helps keep Buehler in games, racking up innings pitched, is his low ERA as well as he had the third lowest of the top ten strikeout pitchers last season.
He plays in a division with the Rockies and Diamondbacks as well which will help his cause to rack up strikeouts. At +1800 there is great value to roll with Buehler especially considering his youth and his tendencies to last long during his starts.
Prediction: Walker Buehler +1800
Baseball Betting Tips
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