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Power pitchers get powerful respect. As MLB hits full stride this week, oddsmakers bestow short betting odds on strikeout leaders in MLB Cy Young Award futures.
Spencer Strider, the current NL favorite at DraftKings, had a major-league high of 281 Ks last season. Kevin Gausman over in the AL had 237 Ks. Dominating baseball’s power category may not guarantee a Cy Young Award, but doing well is a prerequisite. Here’s a capsule review of the top contenders.
Check odds at all the top sportsbook apps because bookmakers offer enough of a gap with many players to give gamblers good deals.
MLB Cy Young Award Odds
National League
Spencer Strider +450
Zack Wheeler +800
Logan Webb +950
Blake Snell Saga
Snell only reached the radar of some gamblers last week when he signed with the Giants. He’s going to be used sparingly until getting up to speed. Snell was 14-9 with a 2.25 ERA, 234 strikeouts, and a 1.19 WHIP last year.
He became the 7th player to win the Cy Young Award in each league and the first to claim both of his (2018, 2023) in the legalized sports-betting era. The others (Max Scherzer, Gaylord Perry, Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens, Roy Halladay, and Randy Johnson) came earlier.
Kevin Gausman +650
He finished third in the voting last year after a 3.16 ERA and an American League-high 237 strikeouts with the Toronto Blue Jays.
He was a power pitcher in his prime. Always a threat.
Framber Valdez +800
He’s never too far from putting it all together. Valdez was only 12-11 last year but reached 200 strikeouts for the first time and tossed a no-hitter against the Cleveland Guardians. His strikeout-to-walk ratio climbed to an impressive 3.51, which helped nudge his WHIP to an exceptional 1.13. Valdez has been steadily effective throughout his career. Bettors may believe he can produce that one big season with a 15-20% improvement that snares the Cy Young Award.
Corbin Burnes +800 Always contends and is a previous Cy Young Award winner with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2021.
He’s in the prime of a stellar career and makes a major free-agent move to the Baltimore Orioles. Burnes is as good as it gets over the last four years. His WHIP has been 1.07, 0.97, 0.94 and 1.02. He has reached 200 or more strikeouts in three successive seasons. He is dealin’. And the Orioles hope to ride his gifted arm into a deeper post-season run.
Cy Young Award Betting Patterns
Repeat winners are unlikely. There hasn’t been an NL back-to-backer since Jacob de Grom of the New York Mets in 2018 and 2019. Pedro Martinez is the last American League repeater with the Boston Red Sox in 1999 and 2000.
That pattern has an excellent chance to remain. Reigning AL winner Gerrit Cole will miss at least two months with inflammation. NL winner Blake Snell just recently signed with the San Francisco Giants. He won’t hit the ground running but will start on Sunday against the San Diego Padres.
