2023 MLB Strikeout Leader Odds and Picks

We’re going to predict which MLB pitcher will throw the most strikeouts during the 2023 regular season.

We haven’t seen a pitcher record 300+ strikeouts in a season since 2019 when Gerrit Cole (326 Ks) and Justin Verlander (300 Ks) accomplished the feat. Will that change during the 2023 MLB regular season?

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Robbie Ray led the Majors in strikeouts in 2021 (248) and Cole tossed the most strikeouts in 2022 (257).

Make sure you check out our 2023 MLB home run leader predictions next.

Top Contenders to Have the Most Strikeouts in 2023

There are four pitchers priced below 10/1 odds in the 2023 MLB strikeout leader betting market.

Gerrit Cole (+550)

Cole has thrown 243+ strikeouts in each of the last four full seasons. He had 257 strikeouts in 200.2 innings last season. He ranked 3rd in strikeouts per nine innings pitched (11.53).

If Cole pitches 200+ innings again for the Yankees, he’ll be among the league leaders in Ks.

Corbin Burnes (+700)

Burnes led the NL and finished 2nd behind Cole in strikeouts last season (243). He ranked 5th in SO/9 (10.83). Burnes led the Majors in SO/9 (12.6) in 2021 and he’ll need to get back to that number.

Burnes is going to pitch around 200 innings if healthy and he could easily throw 250+ Ks in 2023.

Carlos Rodon (+850)

Rodon signed with the Yankees this offseason. Rodon had 237 strikeouts last season, which ranked 3rd in the Majors. He led the league in strikeouts per nine innings (11.98) as well.

Rodon pitched 178 innings last season, which was the most in his career. He’ll need to get closer to 200 innings pitched to have a better chance at leading MLB in strikeouts during the 2023 regular season.

Max Scherzer (+900)

Scherzer pitched great last season for the Mets when healthy. He pitched only 145.1 innings, but he had 173 strikeouts. Scherzer is on the tail end of his career and not throwing as much heat.

Scherzer hasn’t pitched 175+ innings since 2018 and that’s unlikely to change in 2023.

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2023 MLB Strikeout Leader Predictions

Best Bet: Aaron Nola (+1800)

I’m betting on Nola to have the most strikeouts in 2023. Nola finished with 235 strikeouts in 2022 (4th) and he ranked 9th in SO/9 (10.32). Nola now has pitched 200+ K’s in four seasons.

Nola pitched 205 innings last season and he’ll be a workhorse for the Phillies again.

In 2020, Nola had 12.1 SO/9 and in 2021 he had 11.1 SO/9. If he can jump back to around 12 SO/9, he’ll have a great chance to throw the most strikeouts during the regular season for the first time in his career.

Another pitcher I strongly considered was Spencer Strider (+1300), but he doesn’t offer as much value as Nola and I’m worried he won’t pitch enough innings to rack up enough strikeouts.

Strider had 202 strikeouts in just 131.2 innings last season with the Braves as a rookie. He’s going to get more starts this season, but he’s unlikely to come close to pitching 200 innings.

If he can maintain his 13.8 SO/9 mark from last season, he’ll lead the Majors in strikeouts in the future, but I don’t think that’ll be the case in 2023, as most experts project him to pitch only 120-150 innings.

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2023 MLB Strikeout Leader Betting Lines

There are nearly 50 pitchers priced up for this market. We’ve listed the top 25 pitchers with the best odds to finish with the most strikeouts during the 2023 MLB regular season.

Gerrit Cole (+550)

Corbin Burnes (+700)

Carlos Rodon (+850)

Max Scherzer (+900)

Dylan Cease (+1200)

Jacob deGrom (+1200)

Spencer Strider (+1300)

Shohei Ohtani (+1800)

Robbie Ray (+1800)

Aaron Nola (+1800)

Shane Bieber (+2200)

Sandy Alcantara (+2200)

Brandon Woodruff (+2800)

Luis Castillo (+3300)

Justin Verlander (+3300)

Cristian Javier (+3300)

Tyler Glasnow (+4000)

Yu Darvish (+4000)

Zac Gallen (+4000)

Kevin Gausman (+4000)

Hunter Greene (+4000)

Julio Urias (+5000)

Blake Snell (+5000)

Nick Lodolo (+5000)

Framber Valdez (+5000)