The big arms are nearly ready to take the mound. 

Opening Day of the 2025 MLB season is set for March 27, meaning each franchise will trot its ace out to the mound. 

Which pitcher will tally the most strikeouts in 2025? 

Check out the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of March 26.  

Most regular-season strikeouts

Paul Skenes: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)
Garrett Crochet: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Tarik Skubal: +950 (bet $10 to win $105 total)
Dylan Cease: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Blake Snell: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)
Jacob deGrom: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Cole Ragans: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Chris Sale: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)

The consensus is that this season will serve as Paul Skenes’ true breakout season. 

One could argue, however, that Skenes’ rookie season was his breakout one. He went 11-3 in 23 starts for the Pirates, striking out 170 batters in 133 innings, an average of 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings. 

Skenes also posted a 1.69 ERA, well below that of NL Cy Young winner Chris Sale’s 2.38. However, Skenes did not pitch nearly enough innings to qualify for the ERA title race. 

Still, Skenes was named an All-Star and NL Rookie of the Year, and finished third in Cy Young voting. 

Second on the oddsboard is Boston’s Garrett Crochet, who finished with 209 Ks last season, good for seventh-most in baseball. Third is Detroit’s Tarik Skubal, who led the league in strikeouts last season with 228, winning the AL Cy Young at the end of the year. 

DraftKings also has odds for just how many strikeouts Skenes and others can register. 

Skenes is at +190 to tally 240 or more Ks. He’s at +110 to reach 220 or more, and he’s at -150 to reach 200. 

Crochet is at +130 to reach 220 or more and at -120 to tally 200 or more. 

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