Guardians (56-62) at Ray’s (71-47) Game Preview | Sunday 8/13 1:40 PM

August 13, 2023

Andy Billman

Series Finale Against the Tampa Bay Rays


3 Things Preview For Todays Game:

1 – Road Woes

The Guardians have lost five games in a row on the road and are hopeful to turn that around on Sunday in St. Petersberg.  Their last road victory was in Chicago against the White Sox on July 30th.  Overall the Guards have lost eleven out of 15.

2 – Bibee

Tanner Bibee toes the mound on Sunday for Cleveland. Bibee has been fantastic in August with a 1.50 ERA in the month. 

3 – Gimenez

Andres Gimenez has taken over the two-hole in the lineup and so far has had a good series against the Rays going 4 for 9 in the first two games.


Guardians Notes

The Guardians are currently experiencing a rough patch, having lost five out of their last seven games. Despite this downturn, they find themselves trailing Minnesota by 4.5 games in the AL Central standings. Their upcoming game on Sunday presents an opportunity to narrow this gap, potentially securing their third victory in the past eight games.

Cleveland maintains an average of 4.03 runs per game, ranking 18th in the league. Their batting average of .248 places them 18th, while their on-base percentage of .312 ranks 23rd. Additionally, their slugging percentage stands at .378, positioning them at 28th in the league.

Leading the Guardians, Josh Naylor boasts an impressive .306 batting average and has driven in 79 runs. Meanwhile, Jose Ramirez has taken the lead in home runs, with a total of 18 to his name.

On the pitching front, Cleveland’s performance has been commendable, conceding an average of 4.08 runs per game. Opposing teams hold a .242 batting average against the Guardians, positioning them at 11th in the league. The team’s earned run average (ERA) stands at a respectable 3.79, securing them the third spot in the league, and their walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) of 1.27 ranks 14th.

In his recent start, Tanner Bibee showcased an excellent performance by allowing only six hits over seven innings, resulting in a 1-0 victory against Toronto. A similar strong effort from him will be crucial for the team’s success in this upcoming game.

Guardians Stats and Insights

GUARDIANS PROBABLE PITCHER – Tanner Bibee

  • Bibee (8-2 with a 2.92 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 101 2/3 innings pitched) makes the start for the Guardians, his 19th of the season.
  • The right-hander last pitched on Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays, when he threw seven scoreless innings while giving up six hits.
  • Bibee will try to build on a 10-game streak of going five or more innings (he’s averaging 5.6 frames per outing).
  • In three of his appearances this season he did not give up an earned run.
  • The Guardians are 4-7 in Bibee’s 11 starts this season they were the money line underdog.
  • Bibee’s team has compiled a 10-8 record over his 18 starts.
  • Bibee’s starts went over the run total seven times in 18 games with a set total this season.

GUARDIANS HITTING TRENDS

  • They’ve hit two or more homers in 21 games this season and are 16-5 in those matchups.
  • Cleveland has gone 16-5 this season when collecting five or more extra-base hits as a team.
  • They have a record of 38-33 this season when collecting eight or more base hits in a game.
  • Cleveland has won 33 of its 43 games this season in which it scored more than four runs.
  • In 28 games this season with five or more walks drawn, they’ve posted a record of 16-12

Rays Notes

The Rays have showcased strong performance in the past week, securing victory in three out of their last five games. Their aim is to sustain this positive momentum by prevailing against the Guardians, potentially marking their fourth win in the most recent six games.

Tampa Bay boasts an average of 5.19 runs per game. Their batting average of .254 positions them at the 10th spot in the league rankings. With a .327 on-base percentage, they hold the 11th position, while their .444 slugging percentage ranks fourth.

At the forefront of the Rays’ batting performance is Yandy Diaz, who maintains an impressive .318 batting average. Meanwhile, Isaac Paredes has taken the lead within the team with 23 home runs and 69 runs batted in.

Tampa Bay’s pitching efforts have been commendable, conceding an average of 3.96 runs per game. The Rays’ opponents are challenged by their .230 batting average, the best in the league. Holding a 3.83 ERA, they secure the sixth position in the league, accompanied by a 1.19 WHIP ranking second.

In his recent start, Eflin demonstrated his prowess by allowing merely four hits and one run across seven innings, resulting in a 4-2 triumph over St. Louis. Another strong performance from him will be crucial for securing victory once again.

Rays Stats and Insights

RAYS PROBABLE PITCHER – Zach Eflin

  • Eflin’s team is 11-11-0 against the spread in his starts this season.
  • The right-hander last pitched on Tuesday, when he gave up one earned run and allowed four hits in seven innings against the St. Louis Cardinals.
  • Eflin has two starts in a row of five innings or more.
  • He has four appearances with no earned runs allowed in 22 chances this season.
  • Eflin’s team is 16-5 this season when he starts and they are the money line favorite.
  • Eflin’s team has a 16-6 record in his starts this season.
  • In games Eflin has started this season, the teams are 9-13-0 at hitting the over.

RAYS HITTING TRENDS

  • The Rays have hit at least two home runs in 53 games this season, and are 39-14 in those outings.
  • Tampa Bay has collected at least five extra-base hits in 31 games this season and has gone 28-3 in those contests.
  • The club is 53-26 in the games this season it has notched eight or more hits.
  • Tampa Bay is 52-18 in games this season when it scored at least five runs.
  • The Rays are 22-7 in games this season when they have drawn five or more walks.

Final Thoughts/Pick

The Rays have emerged victorious in three out of their most recent five matches. Demonstrating strong offensive prowess, they managed to accumulate a total of 29 runs over this period. Despite Bibee’s commendable performance on the pitching mound for the Guardians, his recent road starts have been inconsistent, resulting in the concession of seven runs during his last three outings away from home. Given the Rays’ impressive track record against right-handed pitchers and their current offensive momentum, it appears challenging for the Guardians to impede their progress in this particular game.

Having suffered defeats in five of their last seven matches, including six out of their past seven games on the road, the Guardians are struggling. Their offensive struggles are evident, having only managed to score 14 runs across their previous five encounters. These offensive challenges are expected to persist in the upcoming game due to Eflin’s exceptional performance on the pitcher’s mound for the Rays. Eflin has only surrendered six runs over his last four starts. Furthermore, considering Tampa Bay’s bullpen’s solid performance, it’s unlikely that the Guardians will find it easy to gain momentum in this match. As such, the Rays are the favored choice to cover the money line.

Our Pick: Take Rays and the Moneyline

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