Predicting Individual Stat Leaders For '21 Season: Pitchers

The following are my predictions for individual pitching leaders for the upcoming season. Stats included are:

W, ERA, SO, WHIP, SV

Wins: Gerrit Cole- Yankees

Gerrit Cole is the likely favorite to lead the league in wins this upcoming season. One of the best pitchers in the game, Cole will also rack up strikeouts at a very high rate. With the Yankees offense backing him up every fifth day he takes the mound he is in a great spot to get a lot of run support.

My Prediction: 17 Wins

Others to Consider:

Trevor Bauer (LAD): My Prediction- 16 Wins

Shane Bieber (CLE): My Prediction- 16 Wins

Jacob deGrom (NYM): My Prediction- 15 Wins

Clayton Kershaw (LAD): My Prediction- 15 Wins

Walker Buehler (LAD): My Prediction- 14 Wins

Yu Darvish (SD): My Prediction- 14 Wins

Lucas Giolito (CWS): My Prediction- 14 Wins

Max Scherzer (WSH): My Prediction- 13 Wins

Luis Castillo (CIN): My Prediction- 13 Wins

Blake Snell (SD): My Prediction- 13 Wins

Kenta Maeda (MIN): My Prediction- 13 Wins

Aaron Nola (PHI): My Prediction- 13 Wins

Jose Berrios (MIN): My Prediction- 13 Wins

Lance Lynn (CWS): My Prediction- 12 Wins

Stephen Strasburg (WSH): My Prediction- 12 Wins

Max Fried (ATL): My Prediction-12 Wins

Dinelson Lamet (SD): My Prediction- 12 Wins

Jack Flaherty (STL): My Prediction- 11 Wins

Zack Greinke (HOU) : My Prediction- 11 Wins

Zack Wheeler (PHI): My Prediction- 11 Wins

ERA: Jacob deGrom- Mets

The best pitcher in today's game, deGrom seems to put up ridiculous ERA numbers season after season. Never having an ERA worse than 3.53 in 2017, deGrom has had an ERA less than three in five of his seven seasons. Putting up an amazing 1.70 and 2.43 ERA respectively in 2018 and 2019, I expect deGrom to be as "deGrominant" as ever this upcoming season.

My Prediction: 2.53 ERA

Others to Consider:

Gerrit Cole (NYY): My Prediction- 2.92 ERA

Shane Bieber (CLE): My Prediction- 3.07 ERA

Walker Buehler (LAD): My Prediction- 3.13 ERA

Trevor Bauer (LAD): My Prediction- 3.24 ERA

Aaron Nola (PHI): My Prediction- 3.31 ERA

Clayton Kershaw (LAD): My Prediction- 3.32 ERA

Max Scherzer (WSH): My Prediction- 3.35 ERA

Luis Castillo (CIN): My Prediction- 3.38 ERA

Zac Gallen (ARZ): My Prediction- 3.39 ERA

Lucas Giolito (CWS): My Prediction- 3.41 ERA

Jack Flaherty (STL): My Prediction- 3.42 ERA

Blake Snell (SD): My Prediction- 3.46 ERA

Zack Greinke (HOU): My Prediction- 3.47 ERA

Stephen Strasburg (WSH): My Prediction- 3.48 ERA

Kyle Hendricks (CHC): My Prediction- 3.51 ERA

Brandon Woodruff (MIL): My Prediction- 3.53 ERA

Lance Lynn (CWS): My Prediction- 3.54 ERA

Yu Darvish (SD): My Prediction- 3.56 ERA

Zack Wheeler (PHI): My Prediction- 3.57 ERA

Dinelson Lamet (SD): My Prediciton- 3.58 ERA

Sonny Gray (CIN): My Prediction- 3.63 ERA

Jose Berrios (MIN): My Prediction- 3.68 ERA

Strikeouts: Max Scherzer- Nationals

One of the best pitchers over the past decade, Mad Max is a good bet to lead the league in strikeouts. This was a tough decision for me as I also considered deGrom and Cole. One of my favorite pitchers, Scherzer always puts up fantastic strikeout numbers, as he led the league in strikeouts in both 2016 and 2018. Scherzer is 36 which is a bit older, but I still expect him to be as great as ever.

My Prediction: 278 Strikeouts

Others to Consider:

Jacob deGrom (NYM): My Prediction- 274 Strikeouts

Gerrit Cole (WSH): My Prediction- 264 Strikeouts

Shane Bieber (CLE): My Prediction- 261 Strikeouts

Trevor Bauer (LAD): My Prediction- 253 Strikeouts

Luis Castillo (CIN): My Prediction- 232 Strikeouts

Stephen Strasburg (WSH): My Prediction- 231 Strikeouts

Aaron Nola (PHI): My Prediction- 226 Strikeouts

Yu Darvish (SD): My Prediction- 223 Strikeouts

Lucas Giolito (CWS): My Prediction- 218 Strikeouts

Walker Buehler (LAD): My Prediction- 216 Strikeouts

Jack Flaherty (STL): My Prediction- 212 Strikeouts

Yu Darvish (SD): My Prediction- 209 Strikeouts

Tyler Glasnow (TB): My Prediction- 203 Strikeouts

WHIP: Jacob deGrom- Mets

Walks plus Hits per Innings Pitched, or WHIP tells how many hits and walks a pitcher gives up. Jacob deGrom is my prediction to lead the league in this category. Over the past three seasons, deGrom has had a WHIP of less than 1, allowing an average of six hits and around two walks per start over the past few seasons which is outstanding!

Rarely will I predict a player to lead in two different statistical categories, but deGrom is so elite it was hard for me to bet against him!

My Prediction: 0.97 WHIP

Others to Consider:

Gerrit Cole (NYY): My Prediction- 1.03 WHIP

Shane Bieber (CLE): My Prediction- 1.05 WHIP

Clayton Kershaw (LAD): My Prediction- 1.08 WHIP

Walker Buehler (LAD): My Prediction- 1.10 WHIP

Max Scherzer (WSH): My Prediction- 1.11 WHIP

Trevor Bauer (LAD): My Prediction- 1.12 WHIP

Lucas Giolito (CWS): My Prediciton- 1.13 WHIP

Yu Darvish (SD): My Prediction- 1.14 WHIP

Zack Greinke (HOU): My Prediction- 1.15 WHIP

Chris Paddack (SD): My Prediction- 1.17 WHIP

Saves: Aroldis Chapman- Yankees

Overall lineup strength and being able to put up runs at a consistent rate is the key relievers need for being able to record saves. Chapman will get a lot of chances to save games this upcoming season, as the Yankees figure to put up a lot of runs. With his 100 MPH fastball and devastating splitter Chapman will be feared by opposing hitters who have to face him in the 9th inning. Chapman will serve a two game suspension to begin the season, but I suspect he will still lead the league in saves.

My Prediction: 38 Saves

Others to Consider:

Josh Hader (MIL): My Prediction- 35 Saves

Kenley Jansen (LAD): My Prediction- 32 Saves

Liam Hendriks (CWS): My Prediction- 31 Saves

Edwin Diaz (NYM): My Prediction- 30 Saves

Ryan Pressly (HOU): My Prediction- 29 Saves

James Karinchak (CLE): My Prediction- 28 Saves

Kirby Yates (TOR): My Prediction- 26 Saves

Raisel Iglesias (LAA): My Prediction- 26 Saves

Will Smith (ATL): My Prediction- 25 Saves

Rafael Montero (SEA): My Prediction- 23 Saves

Matt Barnes (BOS): My Prediction- 22 Saves

Richard Rodriguez (PIT): My Prediction- 21 Saves

Final Thoughts:

I really enjoyed making my pitching predictions for the upcoming season. It will be interesting to see if the pitchers listed above will perform better than my expectations or if some will regress.

See you at the ballpark!!!

Adam