BetStars NJ offering odds on which starting pitcher will lead MLB in wins at the conclusion of the 2019 regular season. Red Sox ace Chris Sale and the Nationals Max Scherzer set as the top favorites.
It is safe to assume similar prop bets will be up from DraftKings Betting App and FanDuel Sportsbook in NJ.
Chris Sale 9/1 odds to lead MLB in Wins
Sale is the odds on favorite to end the 2019 MLB season with the most pitching wins. On the surface, it makes a lot of sense as Sale has been one of the most dominating pitchers in all of baseball. However, in terms of leading the majors in wins, I’m having some serious doubts.
The Red Sox bullpen will be their biggest weakness heading into the 2019 season. After losing Craig Kimbrel to free agency, the Red Sox don’t have a defined closer thus far. Ryan Braiser has been a name that’s been floated around but it’s not a role he’s had in the major leagues. He did save 13 games for the Red Sox Triple-
A affiliate system last year but it hasn’t translated to the majors, at least as of yet. A bullpen without a defined closer certainly doesn’t bode well in thinking these games can be saved for Sale.
Sale also missed time last season due to shoulder inflammation that held him to 158 innings last year. Early Spring Training reports have Sale feeling healthy and ready to go for 2019. While that’s all well and good, the combination of the two issues doesn’t have me looking to grab Sale at these odds. I think you’re better off going down the board a bit more.
Odds To Lead MLB in Pitching Wins
Chris Sale 9/1
Max Scherzer 11/1
Luis Severino 13/1
Corey Kluber 14/1
Justin Verlander 16/1
Jacob deGrom 18/1
Clayton Kershaw 20/1
Gerrit Cole 22/1
Carlos Carrasco 25/1
James Paxton 25/1
Blake Snell 28/1
Aaron Nola 33/1
David Price 33/1
Trevor Bauer 35/1
Patrick Corbin 40/1
Walker Buehler 40/1
Zack Greinke 50/1
Dallas Keuchel 50/1
German Marquez 66/1
Rick Porcello 66/1
Kyle Hendricks 66/1
Jose Berrios 80/1
Stephen Strasburg 80/1
Chris Archer 80/1
Jon Lester 80/1
Mike Foltynewicz 100/1
Miles Mikolas 100/1
Jose Quintana 100/1
Kyle Gibson 125/1
Andrew Heaney 125/1
Jake Arrieta 125/1
Max Scherzer 11/1 odds to lead MLB in Wins
Next up is Scherzer with the Nationals. He’s entering his fifth year with the team and has averaged 17 wins per season over the past four years. Luckily for Scherzer, he’s been dealing with a weak National League East that has really helped his win numbers. In fact, last season, eight of his 18 wins came from teams in that
division, headlined by five against the Marlins. While the Phillies and Mets have made moves to improve the team, the Marlins are only projected at 64.5 wins this season.
Despite the (likely) loss of Bryce Harper, the Nationals are still boasting a very powerful lineup that when healthy, will feast on opposing pitchers. While names like Juan Soto and Victor Robles aren’t household names now, they’ll be some of the catalysts that jumpstart this lineup and allow them to score plenty of runs. With that type of offense behind him, Scherzer should have no problem racking up the wins once again in 2019.
Luis Severino 13/1 odds to lead MLB in Wins
As the odds stand currently, this is my favorite pick amongst the group. Severino ended 2018 with 19 wins, which placed him third in the league behind Blake Snell (21) and Corey Kluber (20). As one of the favorites to win the World Series and a team tabbed at 96.5 wins on the year, you have to like your chances with
Severino.
That’s even before we talk about that bullpen. If you’re not leading the Yankees by the fifth inning, good luck the rest of the way. The Yankees front office has constructed, on paper, one of the most impressive and dominating bullpens any
general manager could dream of. On any given night, opposing teams will see a combination of Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances, Chad Green and Zack Britton. Oh, did I mention they also acquired Adam Ottavino, who ended 2018 as a member of the Rockies with a 36.3 K% and a 0.99 WHIP?
As the ace of the staff, Severino is primed for another huge year. He continues to keep his walks down (2.1 BB/9 in 2018) his home runs down (0.89 HR/9) and has the backing of a monster offensive lineup and bullpen. For the odds you’re getting with Severino, this would be a really tough one to pass over, in my opinion.
Gerrit Cole 22/1 odds to lead MLB in Wins
Cole is coming off an unbelievable 2018 season that saw him excel in ways we didn’t know was possible. Jumping your K% up 11.4% will certainly get people talking. However, as dominant as he was, he ended the year with 15 wins. When it comes to team wins, the Astros are amongst the highest – projected at 95.5. They’ll sport a lineup that looks quite similar to what we saw in 2018 with the addition of Michael Brantley. Cole received some of the highest run support in the league at 5.9 runs per start, which ranked him 10th. With even more power coming with Brantley – that number doesn’t sound too far fetched once again.
What a like a lot about Cole is that the AL West is looking extremely weak. The Mariners and Rangers are in a full-blown rebuild mode and the Angels are still looking to piece together a solid roster. With the number of times, Cole will face these teams, his likelihood of building off his 15 wins from last season looks bright. Like Severino, these are odds I can’t pass on.
Blake Snell 28/1 odds to lead MLB in Wins
If you’re looking for a repeat winner with Snell, you’re getting quite the odds at 28/1. Leading the majors with 21 wins to take the title last season, Snell is also the reigning Cy Young winner from 2018. So why isn’t he getting the love for a repeat? Let’s take a look.
First and foremost, the Rays lost some big power in their lineup. The losses of C.J. Cron and Jake Bauers combine for 41 home runs and 122 RBI. As they currently stand, we are looking at a lineup that could struggle to produce more than one hitter capable of hitting over 20 HR and 75+ RBI. Even with those guys in the lineup, the Rays were 16th in the league in runs scored at 716 – a number I’d expect would drop this season.
A lack of runs will certainly mean a lack of win opportunities. Snell enjoyed a good amount of run support in his starts, seeing 10 games with at least six runs scored. Overall, Snell received 5.2 runs per game in his start, which ranked him just outside the top 20 in the league. With a lineup that could struggle to match that
total this season – the odds are set correctly for Snell to repeat.
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