When it comes to betting the MLB odds, handicapping starting pitchers is the most important aspect. And even if a team’s ace is on the mound, it doesn’t automatically make them among the MLB best bets.

In fact, there are a number of name-brand starters who have been money pits for those capping their nightly MLB picks. With oddsmakers pricing those clubs so high during those appearances, a loss or two can really dig into the baseball betting profits on the season.

Here are three star starting pitchers burning up bankrolls in the first half of the 2019 MLB campaign:

Chris Sale, Boston Red Sox: -13.7 units
Sale hasn’t pitched poorly this year. In fact, the 6-foot-6 left hander has been sensation as of late with a 2-0 record and 0.82 ERA in the month of June. However, even just focusing on those three starts, Boston bettors would still be down 0.26 units this month. And there in lies the trouble with betting Sale’s starts: his loses often come with a price tag of -200 or higher.

On the year, the Red Sox are 5-10 in his 15 outings and a lack of run support is the main culprit, with Boston plating an average of just 3.5 runs of support on those efforts. The BoSox, as a whole, have been a terrible bet with a 41-25 record dropping Beantown faithful more than 18 units into the red – the bulk of those coming in Sale’s starts.

Jacob deGrom, New York Mets: -11.2 units
If you’re an avid MLB bettor, you’ve seen deGrom as one of the worst wagers the past two seasons. Much like Sale, deGrom isn’t pitching poorly. He’s touting a 3.26 ERA on the season and has been very sharp in June, with a 2.25 ERA and 1-1 mark through four starts. But we’re talking about the Mets here, so it’s no surprise deGrom is receiving only 4.13 runs of support.

Books have priced New York all over the board during those starts – anywhere from a +160 underdog to a -306 favorite – mainly due to opponent countering with their ace pitcher. The Mets are 5-10 in his 15 outings in 2019 and have made drastic moves to spark their rotation, recently replacing their pitching coaches. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals: -11.0 units
Maybe that bunt-induced broken nose can rally the troops around Scherzer, who has really been doing all he can to keep the Nationals competitive. The former Cy Young winner has a 2.62 ERA so far in 2019 – fourth lowest in the National League – but is getting little to no help from Washington’s lineup. Scherzer has received only 3.63 runs of support from the Nats’ bats, leaving the club to go 6-10 in his 16 appearances.

He’s been fantastic in June, boasting a slim 0.93 ERA through four starts with a recorded win in each appearance. Outside of a 7-run outburst against Arizona on June 14, the Nationals have totaled only 10 runs over those other three June starts. But tally up those June returns and Washington bettors are only up 2.32 units this month with Max on the mound.