The Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Guardians meet Sunday in MLB action from Progressive Field. Here’s a Cleveland Guardians vs Pittsburgh Pirates prediction. This will be the final 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
In their early-week series the Pirates took on the Chicago Cubs. Pittsburgh lost all three of those games, falling 18-8, 9-5 and 14-10. After a 10-8 loss to the Guardians on Friday, in game two the Pirates powered out a 3-0 shutout victory. Luis Ortiz managed 6.0 frames with one hit and three walks as starter.
In the starter role for the Pirates on Sunday it’ll be Mitch Keller. This year Keller is 11-8 with a 3.84 ERA in 26 starts. Over his career Keller is 36-46 with a 4.51 ERA in 128 games (126 starts).
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 in that set before a 7-5 win in the finale. After their opener win, in game two versus the Pirates the Guardians could only muster two team hits. Matthew Boyd posted 6.0 innings with one earned run in the start.
It’ll be Alex Cobb in the starting pitcher slot for the Guardians on Sunday. So far Cobb is 1-1 with a 4.35 ERA in two starts. Cobb is 78-76 with a 3.85 ERA in 232 career starts.
Total Runs Facts
- Each of the Pirates’ last four road games after playing the previous day have gone UNDER the total runs line.
- Six of the Guardians’ last seven games as favorites against the Pirates have gone OVER the total runs line.
- The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the last seven day games between the Pirates and Guardians.
- The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Pirates’ last three day games against AL Central opponents.
Cleveland Guardians Player Prop Facts
- Steven Kwan has hit a home run in four of the Guardians’ last 10 day games against opponents that held a losing record.
- Lane Thomas has recorded at least one hit in each of his five previous appearances in day games against teams that held a losing record.
- Josh Naylor has recorded two or more total bases in each of the Guardians’ last three games as favorites.
- Alex Cobb has recorded a win in each of his last seven appearances with his team as a home favorite against NL opponents.
- Brayan Rocchio has recorded at least one RBI in four of his last five appearances in day games.
- Josh Naylor has recorded a Double in each of the Guardians’ last three games against NL Central opponents at Progressive Field.
- Jose Ramirez has scored at least one run in seven of the Guardians’ last eight day games against NL opponents that held a losing record.
- Alex Cobb has recorded five or more strikeouts in four of his last five appearances with his team as a favorite against NL Central opponents.
- Steven Kwan has recorded a Single in each of the Guardians’ last four day games against NL opponents that held a losing record.
Pittsburgh Pirates Player Prop Facts
- Mitch Keller has recorded seven or more strikeouts in each of his last nine appearances with the Pirates as underdogs against AL opponents.
- Ke’Bryan Hayes has recorded at least one Single in each of his last six appearances with the Pirates as road underdogs 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.
- Isiah Kiner-Falefa has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 12 appearances with his team as an underdog against the Guardians.
- Isiah Kiner-Falefa has recorded at least one total base in each of his last 12 road appearances against AL Central opponents.
- Mitch Keller has recorded a win in each of his last four appearances with the Pirates as underdogs against AL opponents.
- Andrew McCutchen has recorded at least one RBI in each of his last five appearances against AL opponents that held a winning record.
- Andrew McCutchen has recorded a Double in five of the Pirates’ last six road games against AL Central opponents.
- Ke’Bryan Hayes has scored at least one run in each of his last eight road appearances against AL opponents.
Cleveland Guardians vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction
I’m going to take a stab on the Pirates. Probably not touching it, though. Keller is 1-1 over his last two outings, with 7.0 clean frames versus Texas in a win then three earned in 4.0 innings in a loss to the Cubs. As for Cobb, he’s coming off 5.2 innings with one earned run in a win over the Cubs back on August 14.
On Saturday the Pirates had a pretty nice effort across the board, especially via the pitching staff. It was a nice bounce-back effort for that group, as Pittsburgh had given up three or more runs in seven straight outings. I like the Pirates to build on this win and keep it going in the finale.