The Chicago Cubs (59-61) travel to face off against the Cleveland Guardians (70-49) on Tuesday, August 13th. This game will be played at Progressive Field in Cleveland and televised on BSGL. The Guardians are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Cubs are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Guardians. First pitch is set for 5:40 CT.
Cubs vs. Guardians Betting Prediction
- Money Line Prediction: Guardians (-129)
- Over/Under Prediction: Over 8.5 Runs
- Guardians have scored an average of 5.4 runs per game in their last 15 games.
- Guardians have a home record of 36-20, indicating strong performance at home.
- Guardians have won 4 out of their last 5 home games.
- Guardians have a recent win streak of 3 games.
- Guardians have outscored their opponents by 10 runs in their last 3 home games.
Cubs vs Guardians
Cleveland rallied for four runs in the 4th inning in the most recent game of this series. The Guardians scored one run in the 1st inning but didn’t score another run until putting up four in the 4th. As for the Cubs, they scored two runs in the 3rd and added four more in the 7th, but it wasn’t enough as they fell short with an 8-9 loss.
Ben Lively only went 3 2/3 innings for the Guardians but gave up just three hits and three earned runs. Nick Sandlin got the win out of the bullpen, and Emmanuel Clase got the save. Shota Imanaga had a rough outing for the Cubs, taking the loss after going five innings and giving up seven hits and three earned runs.
Jhonkensy Noel was the difference for the Guardians, as he went 2/4 with two homers and four RBIs. Steven Kwan also had a good game at the plate, going 1/2 with a homer and two RBIs.
Chicago has won three straight series and are 7-3 in their last 10 games, but they are currently 3rd in the NL Central with a 59-61 record, trailing the Brewers by nine games. The Cubs have struggled in divisional matchups, going 17-26 so far this season.
On the run line, the Cubs have been a better bet as the underdog, posting a 43-21 record, but they have struggled as the favorite, going 15-41. The O/U record for Cubs games this season is 53-63, with an average of 8.4 runs per game. So far, 34 of their games have had O/U lines of 8.5 runs, making up 28.3% of their total games.
Javier Assad Gets The Start For The Cubs
Right-hander Javier Assad is getting the start for the Cubs today as he faces the Guardians on the road. He has made 21 starts this year and has a record of 5-3 with an ERA of 3.24. So far, Assad has turned in four quality starts and is averaging 7.89 strikeouts per nine innings. In his last outing, he finished with a no-decision, giving up two earned runs in four innings of work. Before that, he had given up at least one homer in three straight starts. Opponents are batting .238 off Assad this season.
Cubs Offense Breakdown
For the season, the Cubs are averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 19th in the league. They have been slightly better on the road (4.4 RPG) than at home (4.1 RPG). As a team, the Cubs are batting .237, which is 18th in the league, and have the 18th ranked home run total in the league. Chicago does do a good job of working counts, as they are 7th in the league in walks.
Chicago’s top power threat so far has been Ian Happ, who is 13th in the league with 20 home runs. Happ has gone deep three times in his last six games while batting .261 over that stretch. Nico Hoerner and Miguel Amaya are both on three-game hitting streaks, while Dansby Swanson has gone 10/27 over his last seven games.
As the home favorite, Cleveland has a 31-14 record this season, and their overall series record is 22-11-5. The Guardians are 36-20 at home and 34-29 on the road, with an overall record of 70-49, leading the AL Central by 3.5 games over the Twins.
When the over/under line has been set at 8.5 runs, Cleveland’s O/U record is 17-15. This season, their games have averaged 8.6 runs, and their overall O/U record is 58-53. Against the run line, they are 59-60, with a 33-30 record on the road and 26-30 at home.
Matthew Boyd Gets The Start For The Guardians
Matthew Boyd is coming off a season in which he made 15 starts and finished with a record of 5-5. His ERA for the season was 5.45, and he made three quality starts. Boyd’s WHIP for the season was 1.32, and he finished the season with a batting average allowed of .245. In terms of slugging percentage allowed, Boyd finished the season at .415, and his FIP for the season was 4.35. For the season, Boyd allowed a total of 11 home runs, and he finished the season with a strikeouts per nine innings rate of 9.25. His walks per nine innings rate for the season was 3.17, and his walks per game average was 1.7.
Guardians Offense Breakdown
Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor have been the Guardians’ top power threats this season, as Ramirez’s 31 homers are 4th in the league, and Naylor’s 26 home runs are 8th in all of baseball. Ramirez is also 2nd in the MLB with 97 RBIs, while Naylor is 5th with 87 RBIs. Over his last 10 games, Ramirez is batting .341 with three homers, and Naylor has also gone deep three times in this stretch, but he is hitting just .237.
For the season, the Guardians are averaging 4.6 runs per game and are one of the league’s best teams at avoiding strikeouts. Overall, they are batting .241, which is 15th in the league. Cleveland’s offense has been better at home this season, averaging 4.9 runs per game.
Cubs vs Guardians Prediction
Our prediction for today’s Cubs vs. Guardians game is that the Guardians will pick up a 6-5 win at home. Given that they are at -129 on the money line, that is the bet we recommend making.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Javier Assad is projected to finish with just four strikeouts and has a 9th worst projected ERA among today’s starters. If you’re looking for a parlay, you could also look to the over/under, as the line is sitting at 8.5 runs, and we have this one going over.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:August 13, 2024 Cubs, Guardians