The New York Yankees (56-21, 22-12 away) battle the Cleveland Guardians (39-34, 19-15 home) in the nightcap of a Saturday doubleheader after Friday’s series opener was postponed. The Yankees have gotten the best of the Guardians in the first three matchups this season.
Game 2 is scheduled for a 6:10 p.m. EST first pitch at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. New York is a -160 betting favorite, and the over-under total is eight runs.
What to Know – New York Yankees
New York has the best record in baseball, and the Yankees show no signs of slowing down, winning six of their last ten games. The Yankees have a healthy 12-game advantage over the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East.
The game two starter for the visitors is expected to be left-hander Nestor Cortes (6-3, 2.51 ERA, 0.99 WHIP). Cortes saw his ERA jump in June but still maintains the ninth-best ERA in the majors. The 27-year-old southpaw has 79.0 innings under his belt, surrendering 22 earned runs, 59 hits, and 19 walks, with 85 strikeouts.
MVP candidate Aaron Judge is going to get himself a hefty payday in the offseason with his play at the plate this season. Judge leads the majors with 29 home runs and is fourth with 59 runs batted in. Anthony Rizzo backs up Judge with 21 home runs and 51 RBI.
New York ranks 19th in the MLB with a .238 team batting average, scoring 4.9 runs per game. The Yankees own the best team earned run average in the majors, sporting a 2.92 ERA.
What to Know – Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland comes in on a two-game winning streak and winners in three of its last four after a five-game losing skid. The Guardians are second in the AL Central, just 1.5 games back of the top spot in the division.
Right-hander Aaron Civale (2-4, 7.20 ERA, 1.60 WHIP) takes the hill in the nightcap for the hosts. After spending the first part of June on the IL, the 27-year-old looked better in the two starts he made after his return.
Civale’s struggled this season, posting 40.0 innings of action, 32 earned runs, 51 hits, 13 walks, and 39 strikeouts.
The Guardians’ offense runs through the bat of Jose Ramirez. The slugging third baseman leads the team in home runs (16) and RBI (63). 23-year-old Andres Gimenez is putting his best season together at the dish with nine home runs, 37 RBI, and a team-high .308 batting average.
The Guardians hit .246 as a team, good enough for 13th in the majors, averaging 4.4 runs per game. Cleveland’s pitching staff is 12th in the league, backed by a 3.86 team ERA.
The Pick is In
Expect both teams to rest some players during the nightcap, but with Cortes facing Civale, the Yankees have the edge on the mound. Civale’s pitched better lately and should keep the New York offense quiet for a few innings, but it won’t be enough against the best team in baseball.
The Pick: New York Yankees ML
