Odds for 2024 MLB strikeouts leader ahead of Opening Day

The Seoul Series technically started the MLB season, but Opening Day is still Thursday, March 28. Bettors will have until that day’s first pitch to place wagers on season-long outcomes. One of the more popular bets to make is predicting which pitcher will lead the MLB in strikeouts in 2024. Last year, Spencer Strider led the NL with 281, while Kevin Gausman had the most in the AL with 237.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at who has the best odds to lead the majors in strikeouts in 2024, with odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

2024 Strikeout leader odds

Favorites

Spencer Strider +150
Kevin Gausman +900

Strider dominated hitters last season, punching out nearly 300 batters. He had the most strikeouts since Gerrit Cole fanned 326 in 2019. Strider had a dominant spring. Yes, he was largely pitching against other teams’ depth, but he finished 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA, and he struck out 29 batters in 18.2 innings of work.

Gausman feels like a surprising option to have the second-best odds, but he has flown under the radar. He started 31 games last season and went 12-9 with a 3.16 ERA for the Toronto Blue Jays. Gausman has been dealing with an injury this spring but isn’t supposed to be sidelined long once the regular seasons begin. Reports suggest he may just miss his first start before being brought back on a pitch count.

Sleepers

Hunter Greene +1200
Tarik Skubal +2000

Greene is known for his fastball, which can reach 100 mph. He struggled with location and worked this offseason to improve that aspect of his game while adding a new breaking ball. Greene had similar results this spring in that he got lit up by hitters — 11 earned runs in 12 innings — but he also struck out 17 batters. If he can limit the amount of runs earned during the season and work on being a little more efficient, he could challenge for the most strikeouts in the majors.

Detroit is heading full-on into the Skubal era this season. The southpaw has been steadily improving and finished 2023 with a 7-3 record, 2.80 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 15 starts. Skubal is expected to be the Detroit Tigers’ ace and is surrounded by young talent with upside. The AL Central looks wide open this year and if Skubal has taken another step forward in his development, he could easily be in the mix for most strikeouts in the league if he can stay healthy.

Pick: Spencer Strider +150

The more you look at Strider’s numbers from last year, the more you realize how ridiculous of a season he had. Opponents hit just .210 against him, and he allowed just 146 hits and 58 walks in 186.2 innings. Last year, Strider had the most swings and misses in a season since pitch-tracking began in 2008. Teams will have another year of information to use for their approach against him. However, I still think Strider has the control and talent to lead the league in punchouts for the second year in a row, a feat that was last accomplished by Justin Verlander in 2011-2012 when he was still with the Tigers.

Odds