On Friday, April 18, 2025, the Cleveland Guardians will take on the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. The game is set to begin at 6:40 PM under the night sky. Fans can look forward to an exciti

Guardians vs. Pirates Betting Prediction

ng evening of baseball action.

• Money Line Prediction: Pirates MoneyLine 113. The Pirates are playing at home where they have a better record. Their pitching staff has a lower ERA and WHIP compared to the Guardians.
• Over/Under Prediction: Under 8.5 (-102). Both teams have struggled offensively, with the Pirates having a low batting average and the Guardians not far behind.

Team Trends

• The Cleveland Guardians have a strong home record of 5-1 this season.
• The Pittsburgh Pirates have struggled on the road with a record of 2-8.
• Cleveland has performed well in their division games, holding a 7-2 record.
• In recent games, the Pirates secured a win against the Washington Nationals with a score of 1-0.
• The Guardians’ starting pitcher, Logan Allen, had a notable performance with 6 strikeouts against the Baltimore Orioles.

Guardians vs Pirates Preview

The Cleveland Guardians will meet the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Friday night. Luis L. Ortiz will start for the Guardians. In his recent game against the Kansas City Royals, Ortiz had a strong performance with 10 strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings. However, his overall season ERA sits at 6.06, indicating some struggles in other outings.

Carmen Mlodzinski will take the mound for the Pirates. In his last game against the Cincinnati Reds, Mlodzinski allowed four earned runs over 4 1/3 innings. His season ERA is 6.23, showing room for improvement. Both pitchers will aim to lower their ERAs and help their teams secure a win.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Key Players and Stats

Oneil Cruz leads the Pirates with a .228 batting average. He has hit 4 home runs and driven in 10 runs. Cruz is dealing with finger soreness but is expected to play. Bryan Reynolds has played 19 games this season. His batting average stands at .197 with 2 home runs. Reynolds has scored 7 runs and has 8 RBIs. Ke’Bryan Hayes has played in 19 games as well. He has a .194 batting average with 1 home run. Hayes has scored 8 runs and driven in 8 RBIs.

Cleveland Guardians: Players to Watch

Steven Kwan is off to a strong start for the Guardians. He has played 18 games with a batting average of .310. Kwan leads the team with 13 runs and 11 RBIs. Kyle Manzardo has shown power with 4 home runs in 17 games. His batting average is .185, but he has driven in 11 runs. Manzardo ranks first on the team in home runs and RBIs. José Ramírez adds experience to the lineup. He has hit 4 home runs and has a .250 batting average. Ramírez has also driven in 8 runs, ranking second on the team.

Final Betting Pick

The Pirates have a strong case for the MoneyLine pick at 113. They have a solid home record of 6-4, which is better than their road performance. Their pitching staff also has a lower ERA and WHIP compared to the Guardians, which could give them an edge in this game.

The Under 8.5 pick seems reasonable given both teams’ offensive struggles. The Pirates have a low batting average of .197, and the Guardians are not much better at .228. With both teams having difficulty scoring runs, a low-scoring game is likely.

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.