The Cleveland Guardians made a trade late on Wednesday with the Los Angeles Dodgers sending shortstop Amed Rosario to LA for pitcher Noah Syndergaard. Syndergaard will join the club in Chicago on Thursday and at that time it will be determined the next course of action as Syndergaard is rehabbing from an injury.
With a roster position opening, the Guardians are bringing back outfielder Oscar Gonzalez. Gonzalez was hitting .275 with 11 home runs and 58 RBIs in Columbus.
Tanner Bibee kicks off the four-game set in Chicago toeing the mound for Cleveland. Bibee has never pitched against the White Sox and has been on a roll in July pitching to a 1.14 ERA this month.
Tanner Bibee is set to take the mound for Cleveland. In his last outing against the Phillies, Bibee delivered an impressive performance, pitching seven shutout innings, which marked the best display of his young career so far. As a rookie, he has been outstanding, maintaining an impressive 1.14 ERA this month and a 3.04 ERA overall, along with a 1.19 WHIP and an impressive 6-2 record over 83 innings pitched this season. Additionally, he has recorded an impressive 85 strikeouts. Notably, this will be his first career matchup against the Chicago team.
Cleveland is heading into the game with confidence, having won three consecutive series and closing the gap to just two games behind Minnesota at the top of the AL Central standings. They secured victories in two out of three games against the Phillies last weekend and followed it up with a series win against the Royals this week, scoring a total of 13 runs in the series. In their last ten games, they have maintained a balanced record of 5 wins and 5 losses.
Josh Bell has been in good form, displaying his productivity with 11 RBIs and an impressive .794 OPS this month. As a veteran designated hitter, he is having a decent season, hitting 11 home runs and driving in 48 runs with a .729 OPS. However, when facing the White Sox this season, Bell’s performance has been a bit mixed, going 4 for 19 with three RBIs, while against Cease, he holds a 4 for 10 record with zero RBIs.
Cleveland’s offensive lineup has been productive, averaging 4.16 runs per game this year, ranking them 24th in the league. On the other hand, their pitching has been strong, boasting a team ERA of 3.85, which places them at a commendable seventh position in the league rankings.
On Thursday, it will be Dylan Cease who takes the mound. In his most recent outing, Cease delivered one of his better performances of the season, holding Minnesota to just one run over six innings. Unfortunately, despite his efforts, the game ended in a no-decision, and the White Sox couldn’t secure a win. Nevertheless, Cease has been on a good run, allowing only one run in his last two starts. So far this season, he has accumulated a 4.04 ERA, and a 1.31 WHIP, and holds a 4-3 record in 113.2 innings pitched.
When facing the Guardians, Cease has performed well with a 3.72 ERA and a 5-4 record. However, he has given up five runs in 12.1 innings against them this year.
Chicago’s season has been far from impressive, and they are considering selling key players. Despite having a strong roster, they have been one of the most disappointing teams in the Major Leagues. Their pitching, in particular, has struggled, contributing to losses in two of their last three series and going 3-7 in their last ten games.
One of the players experiencing a slump at the plate is Andrew Vaughn. In July, he only managed six RBIs with a dismal .419 OPS. Nonetheless, his overall season has been decent, recording 12 home runs, 56 RBIs, and a .735 OPS. When facing the Guardians, Vaughn has driven in two runs and holds a .726 OPS against them this season.
The White Sox have been averaging 4.18 runs per game, ranking them 23rd in the league. Their pitching has been a weakness as well, with the team posting a 4.62 ERA, which puts them in the 25th position in the league.
The Cleveland Guardians are on a mission to secure the top spot in the AL Central and have been performing exceptionally well, triumphing in three consecutive series. On the other hand, the Chicago White Sox are facing a disappointing streak, having lost five consecutive games and seven out of their last eight.
Adding to the Guardians’ success is their starter, Tanner Bibee, who has been quietly establishing himself as one of the most promising young pitchers in Major League Baseball. The rookie recently delivered an impressive performance, pitching seven scoreless innings against the Phillies and maintaining an outstanding 1.14 ERA in five outings this month. Given his remarkable form, I anticipate Bibee to continue his successful run against the inconsistent White Sox offense, which has struggled to score more than four runs in four of their last five games.
Our Pick: Take Guardians and the Money Line +100
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