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There does appear to be a chance of rain in St. Louis on Sunday, with the forecasted temperature being 71 degrees. Cleveland and the Cardinals will face off at 2:15 PM ET at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, and the Guardians are favored on the money line (-108).
Both teams will be using a starting pitcher that has not yet been announced, and Cleveland is 90-66 overall, putting them first in the AL Central. St. Louis is 78-77 and is 3rd in the NL Central. The over/under line is currently 7.5 runs, and BSGL is carrying this game on TV.
Cleveland vs. St. Louis Key Information
- Teams: Guardians at Cardinals
- Where: Busch Stadium St. Louis
- Date: Sunday, September 22nd
- Betting Odds STL -111 | CLE -108 O/U 7.5
The Guardians Can Win If…
Gavin Williams is looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Twins, where he took the loss and gave up two earned runs in five innings of work. In that start, he gave up five hits, two walks, and two home runs. Williams has a record of 3-10 and an ERA of 5.12 to go along with a WHIP of 1.39. Looking at his numbers, Williams has been much better on the road, coming in with a record of 3-3 and an ERA of 11.2. At home, his ERA is 6.98, and he is 0-7. So far, he has made 15 appearances and three of them have been quality starts.
For the season, the Guardians are averaging 4.4 runs per game, which is 15th in the league. They have been slightly better at home, averaging 4.7 runs per game. As a team, they are batting .239, which is 14th in the league, and are one of the league’s best teams at avoiding strikeouts. Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor are the team’s top home run hitters, with 37 and 31 homers, respectively.
Jose Ramirez has been swinging the bat well of late, going 7/20 in his last five games with two homers and five RBIs. Andrés Giménez has also been hot, going 8/20 in his last five games, including a home run. Giménez is also on a four-game hitting streak.
- The Guardians are 6-4 in their last ten games.
- Over their last five games, the Guardians are 2-3 vs. the run line.
- Cleveland has an over/under record of 2-8 in their last ten games.
- The Guardians have an average of 3.8 runs per game over their last five games.
- Across their last ten road games, the Guardians are 6-4
- Looking back across the Guardians last five games as the favorite, they are 3-2
- Cleveland has gone 2-1 in their last three games as the underdog
- In their ten most recent road games, the Guardians have averaged 3.9 runs per game on offense
The Cardinals Can Win If…
St. Louis is sending right-hander Andre Pallante to the mound today vs. the Guardians. In his 18 starts, Pallante has a record of 7-8 and an ERA of 3.87. Looking at his overall numbers, he has a WHIP of 1.35 and has allowed a total of eight home runs. Pallante’s ERA at home is 3.31, compared to 4.17 on the road. The last time he pitched, Pallante picked up the win, going seven innings and not giving up a run. Before that, he had lost three straight starts.
So far this season, the Cardinals are averaging 4.1 runs per game, which is 25th in the MLB. As a team, they are batting .246, which is 10th in the league. However, their on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS are all right around league average. The Cardinals have been a little below average in terms of home runs, and their isolated power (ISO) of .142 is also 17th in the MLB.
St. Louis has a few guys near the top of the league in terms of home runs, with Alec Burleson and Paul Goldschmidt both having 21 homers this season. Brendan Donovan has been a good run producer for the Cardinals, as his 68 RBIs are 3rd on the team. Over his last seven games, Jordan Walker has gone 6/24 with two homers and seven RBIs.
- The Cardinals are 5-5 in their last ten games.
- Over their last five games, the Cardinals are 3-2 vs. the run line.
- St. Louis has an over/under record of 3-7 in their last ten games.
- The Cardinals have an average of 4.4 runs per game over their last five games.
- Across their last ten home games, the Cardinals are 5-5
- Looking back across the Cardinals last five games as the favorite, they are 4-1
- St. Louis has gone 2-1 in their last three games as the underdog
- In their ten most recent road games, the Cardinals have averaged 4.6 runs per game on offense
Guardians Secure AL Central Title
The Cleveland Guardians, having clinched the American League Central division title, are set to conclude their three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. The Guardians (87-68) secured their second division title in three years after the Kansas City Royals lost on Saturday, shifting their focus toward the postseason.
A driving force behind Cleveland’s success this season has been star third baseman José Ramírez, whose combination of power and leadership has been vital for the team. With 37 home runs and 112 RBIs this season, Ramírez has come through in clutch moments, including homers in both games of this series.
“Watching him work, watching him push his teammates to get better, it just solidifies everything you see,” said Guardians manager Stephen Vogt. “This is a true pro that plays the game the right way.”
Gavin Williams Takes the Mound
The Guardians will send right-hander Gavin Williams (3-10, 5.12 ERA) to the mound in Sunday’s finale. Williams has shown flashes of potential but struggled with consistency this year after a strong rookie campaign in 2023. His latest outing against the Minnesota Twins saw him allow two runs over five innings, striking out seven. Williams will make his first career start against the Cardinals and will look to end his season on a high note, as Cleveland prepares for the playoffs.
Cardinals Aim for Strong Finish
The St. Louis Cardinals (78-77), eliminated from playoff contention, are looking to close the season on a positive note. After securing a 6-5 victory on Saturday, St. Louis will turn to right-hander Andre Pallante (7-8, 3.87 ERA) for Sunday’s finale. Pallante has rejuvenated his season after transitioning back to a starter’s role following a stint in Triple-A Memphis. In his last outing, he threw seven scoreless innings and struck out nine in a 4-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Pallante will face Cleveland for the first time as a starter, having made two bullpen appearances against the Guardians in which he allowed no runs over 1 2/3 innings. His recent form gives the Cardinals optimism as they aim to finish strong.
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Injury Updates and Roster Moves
The Cardinals placed veteran starter Sonny Gray on the injured list this weekend due to forearm tendinitis, officially ending his season. In response, the team called up reliever Kyle Leahy to support the bullpen for the remainder of the series.
Key Players to Watch
- José Ramírez: The Guardians’ slugging third baseman continues his hot streak, powering Cleveland as they prepare for postseason action.
- Gavin Williams: The young right-hander will aim to cap off his season with a strong performance, providing Cleveland with a potential asset in the playoffs.
- Andre Pallante: After a stellar return to the starting rotation, Pallante will look to build on his recent success and deliver another solid outing for the Cardinals.
As Cleveland fine-tunes its roster and St. Louis plays for pride, Sunday’s finale offers both teams a chance to finish the series on a high note as the regular season winds down.
The Lean
Today’s matchup between the Guardians and Cardinals has the 5th highest combined runs projection and 3rd highest hits projection. We are leaning towards the Cardinals to pick up the win at home, and for an over/under pick, we are leaning towards the over. St. Louis starter Andre Pallante has the 5th worst strikeout projection among today’s starters, while Gavin Williams is 14th.
