The Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Guardians meet Friday in MLB action from Progressive Field. Here’s a Cleveland Guardians vs Pittsburgh Pirates prediction. This will be the first installment in a three-game series. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Guardians vs Pirates pick.
Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Preview
The Pirates are fresh off a series versus the Cubs. After a couple of huge losses in the first two games 18-8 and 9-5, in the Wednesday finale, Pittsburgh blew a 10-3 lead in the seventh inning, ultimately falling 14-10.
In the starter role for Friday, the Pirates will send out Bailey Falter. This year Falter is 6-7 with a 4.25 ERA in 22 starts. Falter is 16-21 with a 4.58 ERA in 83 career games (53 starts). The Pirates will play against the Cubs, Nats, and Marlins following this series.
Cleveland Guardians Betting Preview
Over on the Guardians’ side, they played the Kansas City Royals in their last series. Cleveland lost the first three games 4-3, 9-4 and 6-1. In the finale the Guardians powered out a 7-5 win on 13 team hits.
It’ll be Ben Lively in the starter slot for the Guardians on Friday. So far Lively is 11-8 with a 3.62 ERA in 23 starts. Lively is 19-25 with a 4.51 ERA in 68 career games (55 starts). The Guardians will meet the Royals, Dodgers, White Sox, and Rays after this series.
Total Runs Facts
- Six of the last seven games between the Pirates and Guardians have gone OVER the total runs line.
- Five of the Pirates’ last six games have gone OVER the total runs line.
- The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Guardians’ last six home games against NL Central opponents.
- The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Pirates’ last three night games at Progressive Field.
Cleveland Guardians Player Prop Facts
- Will Brennan has recorded at least one total base in each of the Guardians’ last six games against opponents that held a losing record.
- Josh Naylor has hit at least one home run in two of the Guardians’ last three games against the Pirates.
- Jose Ramirez has recorded a Double in three of the Guardians’ last four home games against NL Central opponents that held a losing record.
- Andres Gimenez has recorded at least one Single in each of the Guardians’ last four night games against opponents that held a losing record.
- Josh Naylor has recorded at least one RBI in six of the Guardians’ last seven home games against NL Central opponents.
- Will Brennan has recorded at least one hit in each of the Guardians’ last six games against opponents that held a losing record.
- Josh Naylor has scored at least one run in 10 of his last 11 home appearances after not playing the previous day.
Pittsburgh Pirates Player Prop Facts
- Bryan De La Cruz has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 12 road appearances after not playing the previous day.
- Ke’Bryan Hayes has scored at least one run in each of his last eight road appearances against AL opponents.
- Yasmani Grandal has hit a home run in two of his last three appearances against AL opponents that held a winning record.
- Andrew McCutchen has recorded a Double in each of the Pirates’ last four road games against AL Central opponents.
- Andrew McCutchen has recorded a Single in each of his last nine appearances in night games against teams that held a winning record.
- Bryan De La Cruz has recorded at least one total base in each of his last 12 road appearances after not playing the previous day.
- Oneil Cruz has recorded at least one RBI in five of his last six appearances against AL Central opponents.
Cleveland Guardians vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction
I’ll lean toward the Guardians. Neither team did very well in their last series, however, so I’m probably not touching this one. Cleveland should get a decent start out of Lively, though. He’s 1-1 in his last pair with four earned in 12.2 innings. As for Falter, he’s got 11 earned in his last 14.2 innings of work.
On Wednesday the Guardians got a spotty start from Tanner Bibee (5.0 innings; five earned) but the bullpen backed him up well overall. Cleveland has four or more runs in four of the last six games, and will probably need to hit that number again Friday.