The Pirates and Guardians are doing the last thing anyone expected of them this season: winning, and often. Now they meet in Cleveland with momentum, banged-up lineups, and a scramble for October positioning all in play.
Bush’s Picks
PITCLE
PITCLE
OverUnder
Best BetGuardians
Cleveland's deeper, healthier pitching staff and a share of first place in the AL Central make the Guardians the safer outright pick here, even with the offense banged up. Pittsburgh's bullpen has been a mess all June, and that's the unit most likely to cough up a late lead in a tight one. Back the Guardians to get it done at home.
Pirates
+best record since 2016, playing over .500
+just swept the division-leading Brewers
+rookie Esmerlyn Valdez emerging in the outfield
−bullpen posted a 6.40 ERA in June
−Griffin, Rodriguez, Horwitz, Cruz all on IL
−three more relievers out with injuries
Guardians
+tied for first in the AL Central
+won 4 of last 5 games
+rookies Bazzana, DeLauter picking up the slack
−offense running near the bottom of MLB in SLG
−Ramirez, Martinez still not activated off IL
−reliever Tim Herrin also out with elbow issue
Neither club has tipped its Game 1 starter for Saturday's doubleheader opener at Progressive Field, which almost fits the theme of this series — both teams have been winning without leaning on a marquee arm to do it. First pitch is 1:10 PM ET, with a nightcap to follow.
Pittsburgh is still without shortstop Konnor Griffin, catcher Endy Rodriguez, first baseman Spencer Horwitz and center fielder Oneil Cruz, all on the injured list, while Cleveland is missing 3B Jose Ramirez and OF Angel Martinez. That's four regulars out for the Pirates and the franchise's best hitter out for the Guardians, so both benches are running thinner than their records suggest — the kind of gap that makes a game like this harder for the market to price cleanly.
Show fees
1:10 PM ET
Spread
ML
Total
PIT Pirates
CLE Guardians
The absences haven't slowed either side down. Pittsburgh is playing over .500 deeper into a season than it has since 2016, and Cleveland enters having won 4 of its last 5. Something has to give in this series, and it likely comes down to which lineup finds enough offense against a pair of unannounced arms.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Jul 17?@ Guardians—
Cleveland Guardians
Jul 17?vs Pirates—
Recent form.
Rookies have quietly carried both rosters through the injury wave. Outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez has been a revelation for Pittsburgh, hitting .309 with 10 homers in just 94 at-bats and capping the club's just-completed sweep of Milwaukee with an 8-RBI game. Cleveland has leaned on second baseman Travis Bazzana and right fielder Chase DeLauter to cover for Ramirez, while starter Gavin Williams has been good enough to spark All-Star snub conversations.
Pittsburgh Pirates
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Cleveland Guardians
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Injury report — info via ESPN.
The macro picture still tilts toward Cleveland, whose pitching staff has kept the Guardians afloat even as the offense has scuffled without Ramirez and Martinez in the lineup. Pittsburgh's calling card is a hot bat and a shaky bullpen, which is exactly the kind of team that can beat you Saturday and hand it right back late. Two clubs that weren't supposed to be relevant in July are about to find out which identity holds up.
