The Cleveland Guardians visit the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday, April 17 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM ET. This game will decide the three-game series after both teams earned one win.
Wednesday’s game was a blowout, as Baltimore won 9-1 with the help of a grand slam from Jackson Holliday. Cleveland took the opener 6-3 but left too many runners on base in Game 2. Both clubs are trying to find rhythm early in the season.
Orioles Preview – Young Bats Starting to Heat Up
The Orioles are 7-10 overall and 3-4 at home. They’ve scored 4.59 runs per game and are giving up 4.65. Their team batting average is .282, and their on-base percentage sits at .343. Baltimore’s lineup is making good contact but has struggled to string together consistent wins.
Jackson Holliday’s grand slam was his first homer of the season and could spark his turnaround after a slow start. Adley Rutschman is hitting near .300 and has been reliable behind the plate. Gunnar Henderson and Ryan Mountcastle add extra power in the middle of the lineup.
Tomoyuki Sugano (1-1, 3.86 ERA) has made three starts and allowed one home run in each of the last two games. He didn’t strike out a batter in his last outing and averages under five innings per start. Baltimore’s bullpen has helped keep games close with a 2.97 ERA and just two homers allowed across 66.2 innings.
Guardians Preview – Pitching Leads the Way
The Guardians are 9-8 overall and 4-7 on the road. They’ve allowed fewer runs than they’ve scored, with a 3.92 team ERA and 4.29 runs allowed per game. The bullpen has been solid with a 3.12 ERA and just 0.4 home runs allowed per nine innings. Cleveland’s pitching staff ranks above league average in WHIP at 1.33.
Tanner Bibee (1-1, 4.40 ERA) is coming off a scoreless outing against Kansas City but threw 96 pitches in less than five innings due to walks. He’s allowed one or fewer runs in two of three starts. Bibee faced Baltimore once last year, going six innings and giving up one earned run while striking out seven.
Jose Ramirez leads the Guardians with home run power and consistent RBI production. Steven Kwan is hitting over .300 and getting on base from the leadoff spot. Angel Martinez, who left the last game briefly after a collision, is expected to be fine and brings extra speed and defense to the outfield. Bo Naylor is adding lefty power from behind the plate.
Betting Prediction
The odds are tight with Cleveland at -106 and Baltimore at -104. The total is 8.5 runs. Baltimore has hit the over in 11 of 16 games, while Cleveland is 9-7 to the over, though most of their games have been lower-scoring on the road.
The Guardians have the better rotation numbers and bullpen stats, while the Orioles have a higher team batting average. If Bibee limits walks and goes deeper into the game, Cleveland should have the edge. With both teams averaging under five runs per game, the under could be a solid lean.
Pick: Cleveland Guardians -106 over Baltimore Orioles on Thursday
