Texas Rangers at Cleveland Guardians

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
TEX	0	0	1	0	0	2	0	1	0	4	8	0
CLE	0	5	0	0	0	0	2	2	—	9	11	0

MacKenzie Gore (5-6, 4.05 ERA) draws the assignment for Texas in Wednesday's 1:10 PM ET series finale, squaring off against Joey Cantillo (6-3, 3.87 ERA) in a matchup that figures to be tighter than the first 2 games. Gore bounced back solidly in his last start, going 7 innings and scattering 4 hits against Toronto for the win. Cantillo's last outing was even cleaner — 6 innings, 1 earned run, 9 strikeouts against Seattle — and he walked away without a decision only because his bullpen couldn't hold it.

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FINAL

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ML

Total

Rangers(44-42)

WWWWW

4

+1.5-194-100o8.5+138

Guardians(44-42)

LLWWL

9

-1.5+186-117u8.5-144

Best BetGuardians -115

Pregame

Cleveland is a slight favorite at home and Cantillo is the stronger arm in this matchup by ERA and recent form. The Rangers' lineup is missing Seager, Nimmo, and Langford, which puts a real ceiling on their run production despite the hot streak. At an essentially coin-flip price, the Guardians offer genuine value trying to avoid a home sweep.

The Rangers have already taken both games of this series — 6-3 Monday and 4-2 Tuesday behind Jacob deGrom's 9-strikeout gem — and are doing it without their 3 most important outfield and shortstop pieces. Corey Seager (back, day-to-day) and Brandon Nimmo (shoulder, day-to-day) are both out of the lineup again Wednesday, and Wyatt Langford is shelved through the All-Star break. This is a Texas squad winning ugly, piecing together runs with contributors like Justin Foscue and a bullpen that has been nearly airtight. Jacob Latz owns 17 saves and counting.

MacKenzie Gore

(5-8)·4.63 ERA

Jun 25 @ Blue Jays

W

7.0IP

3ER

5K

1BB

98P

07/01 Lineup

Joey Cantillo

(8-4)·3.56 ERA

Jun 26 vs Mariners

ND

6.0IP

1ER

9K

2BB

90P

07/01 Lineup

Texas Rangers

(44-42)

Jun 30W@ Guardians4-2

Jun 29W@ Guardians6-3

Jun 28W@ Blue Jays3-2

Jun 27W@ Blue Jays7-4

Jun 26W@ Blue Jays5-4

Cleveland Guardians

(44-42)

Jun 30Lvs Rangers2-4

Jun 29Lvs Rangers3-6

Jun 28Wvs Mariners6-5

Jun 27Wvs Mariners4-3

Jun 26Lvs Mariners1-3

Cleveland's deeper problem is José Ramírez. The Guardians' best hitter had hamate surgery on June 16 and is expected out 5 to 7 weeks. In the time since he went down, Cleveland has gone 5-8 and hit just .210 as a team. Tuesday illustrated the issue perfectly — the Guardians scored twice, once on a first-inning Kyle Manzardo homer — but never generated enough sustained offense to threaten a deGrom who gave them nothing to work with. Cantillo gives Cleveland a real chance to end this today, but the lineup behind him is thinner than it looks.

Texas Rangers

(16)

• Day-To-DayCorey Seager (SS) — Seager is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Guardians.06/30
• Day-To-DayBrandon Nimmo (RF) — Nimmo (shoulder) is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Guardians.06/30
• Day-To-DaySebastian Walcott (SS) — Walcott (elbow) will begin to ramp up his activity soon and is still on track for a late-July or early-August return to a minor-league affiliate, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.06/17
• 10-Day-ILWyatt Langford (LF) — Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said Sunday that Langford (hamstring) will remain on the 10-day injured list through the All-Star break, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.06/28
• 10-Day-ILCody Freeman (3B) — The Rangers placed Freeman on the 10-day injured list Thursday due to a herniated disc.06/25
• 10-Day-ILDanny Jansen (C) — Jansen (forearm) was able to throw out to 60 feet Saturday, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.06/22
• 15-Day-ILChris Martin (RP) — Martin (shoulder) was sent to Double-A Frisco on Sunday to begin a rehab assignment.06/28
• 15-Day-ILJack Leiter (SP) — Leiter underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove a loose body from his right ankle region Tuesday and should be considered out indefinitely, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.06/23
• 15-Day-ILJalen Beeks (RP) — Beeks (2-1) earned the win in relief Saturday against the Cubs after tossing 1.1 scoreless innings. He struck out one with no hits or walks allowed.06/11
• OutDeclan Cronin (RP) — Cronin (elbow) signed a two-year, minor-league contract with the Rangers on Tuesday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.05/08
• OutNabil Crismatt (SP) — Crismatt will undergo surgery to repair a torn UCL in his right elbow, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.05/08
• 60-Day-ILJordan Montgomery (SP) — Montgomery (elbow) struck out three over two perfect innings in a rehab start Saturday with Double-A Frisco.06/29
• 60-Day-ILMichael Helman (CF) — Texas transferred Helman (hand) to the 60-day injured list Friday.06/19
• 60-Day-ILRobert Garcia (RP) — The Rangers transferred Garcia (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.06/01
• 60-Day-ILCarter Baumler (RP) — Baumler (intercostal) has been shut down from his rehab assignment, MLB.com reports.05/23
• 60-Day-ILCody Bradford (SP) — Bradford (elbow) began throwing from 60 feet during the Rangers' most recent homestand, MLB.com reports05/10

Cleveland Guardians

(4)

• Day-To-DayTanner Burns (SP) — no06/17
• Day-To-DayCarlos Hernandez (RP) — Hernandez (shoulder) began his rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on Friday.05/08
• 10-Day-ILAngel Martinez (LF) — Martinez (foot) has shed his walking boot, is playing catch and hitting off a batting tee, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.06/28
• 10-Day-ILJose Ramirez (3B) — Ramirez underwent surgery to address the hamate bone fracture in his left hand Tuesday and is expected to be sidelined 5-to-7 weeks, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.06/16

This series finale has legitimate pitching duel written all over it. Cantillo has the stuff to slow down a Rangers lineup that has been missing key pieces all week, and Gore has been sharp enough lately to hold a Cleveland offense running on fumes without Ramírez. Whether the Guardians can string together enough contact against a Texas bullpen that has been automatic all week is the real question. Cantillo is Cleveland's best answer — but they need to back him up.