The Guardians have a chance today to win back-to-back series for the first time since the opening week when Cleveland won three out of four against Seattle and two out of three against Oakland.
Guardians “ace” Shane Bieber is on the bump today for the Guards. No one has been listed as the starter yet for the O’s, so the Guardians should have the advantage today in Camden Yards.
A lot of fans last night were upset with Will Brennan’s defense and he did struggle in right field for sure. With that being said, Brennan is hitting the ball well and he is a young player learning the position. It would be great to see Tito put Brennan back into the right field for confidence.
On Wednesday afternoon, Shane Bieber will once again take the mound. In his previous start, Bieber demonstrated consistency by holding the formidable Cardinals lineup to a mere two runs in 6.2 innings, ultimately securing the win. As the ace of the Guardians, Bieber continues to have an exceptional season. He has already pitched eight innings in two of his recent performances this month. Currently, he boasts a 3.04 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP, accompanied by a 4-3 record in 71 innings pitched throughout the season. Notably, in his career, Bieber has faced the Baltimore team before, allowing only five runs in 14 innings last season. His remarkable performance in these encounters has resulted in a minuscule 1.45 ERA and a 3-1 record.
Cleveland is currently in the midst of a seven-game road trip. Unfortunately, their season has been marked by inconsistency, and they have struggled to string together significant winning streaks. Recently, the Guardians lost three of their last four series, yet managed to win two out of three games against the Cardinals this week, despite only scoring a total of eight runs.
One of the factors contributing to Cleveland’s offensive struggles is the disappointing performance of Josh Bell in his first year with the Guardians. The 30-year-old slugger has only hit three home runs so far, along with 22 RBIs and a .665 OPS. Notably, Bell has only managed to drive in a single run in his last ten games. In his previous encounters with the Orioles, he went 2 for 6.
Regrettably, the Guardians have been scoring an average of 3.45 runs per game, ranking them last in the major leagues. However, their pitching staff has been more reliable, maintaining a solid team ERA of 3.69, placing them fifth overall.
Austin Voth will be given the opportunity to start in this game. Voth has primarily been used as a reliever this season and has performed decently. In his last outing against the Rangers, he allowed only one run in 3.2 innings. Throughout the year, he has maintained a 4.10 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, and a 1-1 record in 26.1 innings, with 25 strikeouts. Although Voth served as a starter last year, he had a solid performance against the Guardians, limiting them to just two runs in six innings in their only previous meeting.
Baltimore has recently won two out of their last three series. They achieved victories in series against their rivals, the Blue Jays and Yankees, but lost two out of three games against the red-hot Rangers squad over the weekend. The Orioles currently hold the second position in the highly competitive AL East, which is considered the strongest division in baseball. They are four games behind the Rays.
Cedric Mullins has been one of the top-run producers in the major leagues this season. The 28-year-old center fielder has driven in six runs in his last ten games, bringing his total to eight home runs, 39 RBIs, and a .835 OPS for the year. However, Mullins suffered an injury in Monday’s loss and is not expected to play. The Orioles have signed Aaron Hicks, who is expected to take his place.
The Orioles are averaging 4.91 runs per game, ranking them seventh in the league. However, their pitching has been somewhat below average lately, carrying a 4.08 ERA, which places them in the 13th position.
In this matchup, the Cleveland Guardians have, Shane Bieber, ready to take the mound. Bieber has been outstanding this month, boasting an impressive 2.97 ERA. Considering his previous success against the Orioles, anticipate his dominance to continue. In their past encounters with the Orioles, Bieber has showcased his skills with a remarkable 1.45 ERA and a 3-1 record over 31 innings. The Orioles will be without their RBI leader, Cedric Mullins, which further complicates their chances.
High expectations for the Guardians as they have seemed to turn it around and their offense has improved. The Orioles have chosen to use Austin Voth as their bulk innings pitcher, a role he hasn’t held throughout the season. Voth has struggled with a below-average 4.32 ERA at home. Additionally, the Orioles’ bats have been cooling down in recent games, scoring three runs or fewer in five out of their last six games, including a 5-0 loss in Monday’s series opener.
Our Pick: Guardians ML.
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