MLB Betting: What Happens When the Starting Pitcher Changes?

Garrett Crochet was listed as the starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox in a home game against the Toronto Blue Jays early in April of the 2025 season. Jose Berrios was the expected starter for the Blue Jays.

With the Red Sox playing at home and with Crochet on the mound, Boston was a -195 favorite over Toronto. That changed, however, when Berrios was scratched as the starting pitcher. He actually started the game the day before. Easton Lucas was then added as the Blue Jays starting pitcher.

The odds did change some with Boston moving to an even bigger favorite at -225. When the markets closed just before the opening pitch, bettors could get the Red Sox at -225 and the Blue Jays at +185. Toronto opened at around +160.

Now, if you have bet on MLB regularly, something like this has probably happened to you. If it hasn’t, at some point you are going to bet on a game and the pitcher you thought was starting is going to be replaced. So, what happens to your bet?

Listed Pitcher vs. Action

If you didn’t know, the sportsbook (or sportsbooks) that you use will have a default selection for every MLB game on a day’s card. That default selection is “Action” and means that no matter who ends up as the starting pitcher for either team, your bet stands and will be graded after the game has ended.

In the case of Toronto and Boston that means that even though you placed the bet thinking Jose Berrios was the Blue Jays and Easton Lucas ended up starting instead, your bet will stand. Any “Action” bets on MLB games will not be cancelled even though there may have been lineup changes. Bettors are locked into their original bet regardless of a pitching change and regardless of new odds, which could be drastically different than when the bet was placed.

Sportsbooks will give bettors the option of choosing “Listed Pitcher” which means that an MLB bet could be cancelled. Using our example with Boston and Toronto, a bettor places his/her wager on Boston with Crochet and Berrios the listed pitchers. When the Blue Jays scratch Berrios and replace him with Lucas, the original bet is cancelled. 

Choosing Listed Pitcher

All sportsbooks, as you know, are a little bit different. They display odds and lines differently. They all have some different rules that make them unique. In the case of Listed Pitcher vs. Action, sportsbooks differ as well. 

As stated earlier, sportsbooks will default to the Action setting. Bettors will have to search for the Listed Pitcher option. Not every sportsbook is the same when it comes to choosing the Listed Pitcher option. Bettors may find that their sportsbooks do not even offer Listed Pitcher. There are sportsbooks out there where the only choice is Action and all bets are graded regardless of pitching changes.

A number of sportsbooks offer a drop-down menu once you have selected your bet but have not yet confirmed it. Use the drop-down menu to select Listed Pitcher and your bet is only good if the listed pitchers actually start the game.

Some sportsbooks also offer the option of selecting the Listed Pitcher for each team. One prominent sportsbook offers a drop-down menu with three separate choices for Listed Pitcher. Bettors can choose Both Pitchers to Start, Pitcher A must start, or Pitcher B must start. Again, a bet is only graded if the chosen listed pitchers start the game.

What About Prop Bets?

Prop bets are a little different than betting totals and sides. Bettors are encouraged to read through the house rules of their sportsbook (or sportsbooks) of choice. Not all sportsbooks handle things the same way. 

In general though, if a bettor places a player prop wager in an MLB game, the bet is void if the player doesn’t play. For example, you chose to wager on Berrios’ strikeout total against Boston. It is announced that Berrios will not be the starter against the Red Sox. Your bet is voided.

Do I Choose Listed Pitcher or Action?

In the end, it’s a matter of choice. Bettors might end up in a better situation if they simply stick with Action. Say you had bet on the Phillies at +154 in a game against the Braves and 2024 Cy Young winner Chris Sale was the listed pitcher for Atlanta. 

When Atlanta scratches Sale for another starter, Philadelphia’s odds will get shorter and their chances of winning are even greater. If you had bet on the Braves at -184, you’re stuck with that bet. Without Sale on the mound, the odds will most certainly shift in your favor, meaning you would have to wager much less than $184 to win $100.

If you like having control of your bets, you’ll probably want to choose Listed Pitcher. If you have made your wager based upon pitching factors, you probably want to choose Listed Pitcher. For example, you bet the Tigers on the First 5 Moneyline because Tarik Skubal is the starting pitcher. If Skubal doesn’t pitch, that screws up your pick.