Guardians (41-43) vs. Braves (57-27) Game Preview | Tuesday 7/4 7:10 PM. EST.

July 4, 2023

Andy Billman

Game 2 of 3 Against the Atlanta Braves

3 Things Preview Guardians vs. Braves:

1 – Triston McKenzie update 

It was announced on Monday night that Guardians starter Triston McKenzie will not seek any surgery at this time and will continue his rehab program.  There is still hope that McKeznie will pitch again in 2023. 

2 – Bieber on the bump

Shane Bieber is on the mound tonight for the Guards looking to follow up his strong start in KC going 6 innings of shutout baseball.  Bieber is in a drought when it comes to wins as his last win back on June 11th against the Astros. 

3 – Super Rosario!  

Amed Rosario is on an RBI run as he has three straight games with two RBIs giving him six in the past three games.  Rosario has also done it in the clutch, as four of his RBIs have come with two outs. 

Guardians Notes

The Guardians have been in fine form over the past week, securing victories in four out of their last six games. They currently share the top spot in the AL Central standings with Minnesota. To seize sole possession of first place, they aim to triumph over the Braves, which would mark their fifth win in the last seven games.

Cleveland has been averaging 4.05 runs per game. Their team batting average of .248 ranks 16th in the league, while their on-base percentage of .313 is placed 22nd. Furthermore, their slugging percentage of .373 stands at 26th in the league.

Leading the offensive charge for Cleveland is Josh Naylor, boasting an impressive batting average of .301 along with 60 RBIs. Jose Ramirez takes the lead in home runs with a total of 13.

The Guardians’ pitching has been strong, allowing an average of 4.14 runs per game. Opposing teams hold a .241 batting average against the Guardians, placing them at the 11th position in the league. Their pitching staff’s earned run average (ERA) stands at sixth with a solid 3.80, while their walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) ranks 11th with a value of 1.26.

In his most recent start, Bieber demonstrated his excellence on the mound, conceding only two hits and no runs in six innings. However, despite his impressive performance, the Guardians fell short against Kansas City, losing the game 4-3. Another strong start from Bieber will be crucial for the team’s success if they intend to secure a victory.

Guardians Stats and Insights

GUARDIANS PROBABLE PITCHER – Shane Bieber

  • Starter Shane Bieber comes in with an overall record of 5-5 for the Guardians. Having made 17 appearances, his ERA is 3.48 and he has a K/9 figure of 0.8. Additionally, he has a FIP of 3.97 and an OBP of .281.
  • Shane Bieber delivered a quality start in his last outing, pitching six innings and allowing zero runs. Despite his efforts, the Guardians fell to the Royals by a score of 4-3.

GUARDIANS HITTING TRENDS

  • The Guardians rank last in Major League Baseball with just 55 home runs as a team.
  • Cleveland’s .247 batting average ranks 17th in the majors this season.
  • The Guardians have an OBP of .311 this season, which ranks 22nd in MLB.
  • Cleveland is one of the best teams in baseball at making contact this season, ranking second with an average of 7.2 strikeouts per game.
  • They’ve hit 23 homers, an average of 0.6 per game, in 39 home contests this season.
  • Cleveland is slugging .378 in 39 home games this season.
  • In home games this season, they’re batting .245 with 8.1 base hits per contest.

Braves Notes

Currently, the Atlanta Braves are showcasing their finest performance of the season, having triumphed in nine out of their last ten games. With the best record in the league, they are determined to sustain their momentum by securing a victory over the Guardians, which would mark their tenth win in the past eleven games.

The Braves exhibit an impressive offensive display, averaging 5.66 runs per game. Their team batting average stands at .272, ranking second in the league. Additionally, they hold the second-highest on-base percentage at .341, while their league-leading slugging percentage sits at .497.

Leading Atlanta’s offensive charge is Ronald Acuna Jr., boasting an impressive batting average of .366. Matt Olson takes the lead in home runs with 28 and RBI with 68.

On the pitching front, the Braves have established themselves as one of the league’s premier teams, allowing only 3.99 runs per game. Opposing teams face a formidable challenge, as they hold the eighth-lowest batting average against the Braves at .240. With a solid 3.66 ERA ranking third in the league, their 1.26 WHIP places them twelfth.

In his most recent start, Allard delivered a remarkable performance, conceding only three hits and no runs over 4.2 innings, resulting in a 3-0 victory against Minnesota. Atlanta will rely on him to replicate this level of excellence in order to secure another win in this upcoming game.

Braves Stats and Insights

BRAVES PROBABLE PITCHER – Colby Allard

  • Looking back at Allard’s last appearance, he allowed three hits across 4 2/3 innings of work. Overall, he finished with zero earned runs. Despite not factoring into the decision, the Braves won by a score of 3-0 over the Twins.

BRAVES HITTING TRENDS

  • The Atlanta Braves average 1.9 home runs per game and have hit a league-leading 158 home runs in total.
  • Atlanta is second in the majors with a .272 batting average.
  • The Braves rank second in baseball with a .342 on-base percentage.
  • Atlanta strikes out 8.2 times per game, the sixth-best average in baseball.
  • The Braves have hit 76 homers on the road this season (2.0 per game).
  • Atlanta is slugging .492 with 3.8 extra-base hits per game on the road.
  • The club averages 9.2 hits per game and is batting .265 on the road this season.

Final Thoughts/Pick

The Guardians have been successful in four out of their previous six games, including five victories in their last seven home games. Their offensive performance has been impressive, with a total of 15 runs scored in the past three games. Despite Allard’s promising debut as a starting pitcher this season, he is mainly utilized as a relief pitcher and struggled significantly on the mound last year, finishing the season with a 7.29 ERA. On the other hand, Atlanta’s bullpen has been performing exceptionally well this season, suggesting that they should be capable of minimizing the damage. However, I anticipate that the Guardians will generate enough runs to force an early removal of Allard from the game.

The Braves have been victorious in nine of their last ten games, including four out of their previous five road games. With one of the league’s top offenses, they managed to score 24 runs in their last three away games. Nevertheless, they are likely to encounter offensive difficulties in this particular game due to Bieber’s recent strong performances on the mound, where he has only conceded 10 runs in his last five starts. Additionally, Bieber has allowed a mere five runs across his last three home starts. Considering Cleveland possesses the second-best bullpen in the league, they are expected to effectively limit Atlanta’s offense. As a result, it is advisable to bet on Cleveland to cover the money line.

Our Pick: Take the Guardians and the ML

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