The Cleveland Guardians and the Philadelphia Phillies meet Saturday in MLB action from Citizens Bank Park. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Philadelphia Phillies vs Cleveland Guardians Prediction.
Starting Pitching Matchup
The Cleveland Guardians will send out Carlos Carrasco for the start here and Carrasco is 3-8 with a 5.32 ERA and 74 strikeouts this season. In his career, Carrasco is 2-1 with a 4.15 ERA and 21 strikeouts against the Phillies. Tyler Phillips will get the start for Philadelphia here and is 2-0 with a 2.81 ERA and 15 strikeouts this season. This will be Phillips’ first career start against the Guardians.
Cleveland Guardians Recap
The Cleveland Guardians come into this one looking to build some momentum after opening the series with a 3-1 win in Friday’s opener. The win put the Guardians in a good spot to build on a series split with the Detroit Tigers from earlier in the week.
Guardians Looking To Create Distance Atop AL Central
Jose Ramirez leads the Guardians with 108 hits as well as 24 home runs and 82 RBIs while Josh Naylor also has 22 home runs and 72 RBIs along with 17 doubles of his own. Ramirez has a team-high 22 doubles while Tyler Freeman has 13 doubles and Andres Gimenez has 45 RBIs with 16 stolen bases while the aforementioned Ramirez has a team-high 18 stolen bases on the year.
Why the Cleveland Guardians will win
- The underdogs have won each of the Guardians’ last six games at Citizens Bank Park.
- The Phillies have lost four of their last five games as favorites against American League opponents.
- The road team has covered the run line in each of the Guardians’ last seven games.
- The Phillies have failed to cover the run line in five of their last six games against American League opponents that held a winning record.
Philadelphia Phillies Recap
The Philadelphia Phillies come into this one looking to bounce back after starting the series on the wrong foot thanks to their defeat in Friday’s opener. The loss put the Phillies at risk of another series loss after losses to the Twins, Pirates and A’s over the last two weeks.
Phillies Trying To Right The Ship
Alec Bohm leads the Phillies with 115 hits including 36 doubles, a .296 batting average and a team-high 71 RBIs while Bryce Harper has 23 home runs with 65 RBIs and Bryson Stott has a team-high 23 stolen bases. Kyle Schwarber has 19 home runs, 57 RBIs and a team-high 117 strikeouts as well this season. Johan Rojas also has 17 stolen bases as well this season.
Why the Philadelphia Phillies will win
- The Phillies have won 10 of their last 11 home games following a home loss.
- The Guardians have lost each of their last five road games following a win.
- The Guardians have failed to cover the run line in each of their last 11 games following a win.
- The Phillies have covered the run line in five of their last six games as favorites against American League opponents following a loss.
Philadelphia Phillies vs Cleveland Guardians Prediction
I’m on the Phillies here. I don’t love the price, but I have a hard time backing the Guardians when scoring runs continues to be an issue for this team and you need as much run support as you can get with Carlos Carrasco and how he’s pitched on the road this season. Cleveland is a solid team that doesn’t usually beat themselves, but I think this is a bounce back spot where the Phillies wake up offensively and get some revenge. Give me Philadelphia in this one.