Over on our TikTok page — give us a follow (@sportstalkatl.com) — I have been running through some interesting player props and futures bets for the Braves in 2025. There are a number that have caught my eye, but I think I’ve found the best long-odds futures bet for this upcoming season across the entire league.
Like Braves Country has already, the national media is beginning to catch on to just how spectacular Spencer Schwellenbach could be moving forward. He was already one of the top arms in the game coming down the stretch last season as a rookie, and his stuff appears to have only improved over the offseason. Better stuff plus a little more experience at the top level even has oddsmakers wary of a potential Cy Young campaign in just his second season. Schwellenbach’s odds to win the award are 40/1 entering the season, the same as much more proven veterans like Aaron Nola and Justin Steele.
That’s a lot of a respect for a 24-year-old with just 123.2 innings under his belt, and while it wouldn’t shock me one bit if Schwellenbach was in the conversation towards the end of the season, winning the Cy Young award in his first full season over the likes of Chris Sale, Paul Skenes, Zack Wheeler, and others feels more like a fairytale than reality.
However, there is a bet that has even better odds at 50/1, and I couldn’t love more, given the price.
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Spencer Schwellenbach to lead Major League Baseball in wins.Â
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My jaw nearly hit the floor when I saw these odds, because wins aren’t the best way to figure out who’s been the best pitcher in baseball. It’s about guys that consistently go deep into games that play on good teams and get a lot of run support.
Schwellenbach is a pitcher that’s rock steady. He may not have the stuff of Paul Skenes, but he attacks batters from the jump and rarely issues a walk, which allows him to almost always reach the five-inning threshold necessary to receive a win.
However, it’s the run support aspect that makes all Braves starting pitchers an intriguing option to lead the league in wins every season. In fact, a different Braves starting pitcher has led Major League Baseball in wins three straight years — Chris Sale (2024), Spencer Strider (2023), Kyle Wright (2022).
I’m not sure any other evidence is needed to make my case. Spencer Schwellenbach leading Major League Baseball in wins might not be a “lock,” but it’s a damn good roll of the dice at a 50/1 price point.
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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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