Cleveland Guardians vs Ny Yankees Picks and Predictions October 19th 2024

Carlos Rodon, Yankees look to close out Guardians in Game 5

Carlos Rodon is starting for the Yankees on Saturday, and they are facing off against the Guardians, who are starting Tanner Bibee. The Yankees are 94-68 this season, while the Guardians are 92-69. This game is being played at Progressive Field in Cleveland, and the Guardians are 1-2 in their last three games.

New York is currently favored on the money line, and the odds have them at -118 compared to the Guardians at -101. The over/under line is sitting at 7.5 runs, and first pitch for this AL matchup is set for 8:08 PM ET.

New York vs. Cleveland Key Information

• Teams: Yankees at Guardians
• Where: Progressive Field Cleveland
• Date: Saturday, October 19th
• Betting Odds NYY -118 | CLE -101 O/U 7.5

The Yankees Can Win If…

Heading into game five of their series against Cleveland, the Yankees hold a 3-1 lead and are looking to close things out on the road. New York finished the regular season with a 94-68 record, going 44-37 at home and 50-31 on the road. As road favorites, they went 36-26 this season.

New York posted a run line record of 88-82 this year, including 51-34 on the road. Their average run margin was +0.9 per game. The Yankees’ over/under record for the season is 90-75, and 86.4% of their games had higher totals than today’s 7.5 line. The over has hit in their last three games.

New York is sending left-hander Carlos Rodón to the mound today vs. the Guardians. This year, he has made 32 starts and has a record of 16-9 with a 3.96 ERA. Rodón’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.22, and opponents are batting .226 vs. Rodón this year. In his 32 starts, he has turned in 16 quality starts and is averaging 10.03 strikeouts per nine innings. Rodón’s most recent outing came on October 14th, where he picked up the win, going six innings and giving up just one earned run. Before that, he had allowed at least two earned runs in three straight outings.

As a team, the Yankees are the top home run hitting team in the league and are also 3rd in the league in runs scored at 5 runs per game. They have been even better on the road, averaging 5.2 runs per contest. Overall, the Yankees are batting .248, which is 7th in the league.

Aaron Judge is not only the Yankees’ top home run hitter, but his 58 homers are the best in the league. He is also batting .322 for the season and has an OBP of .458. Giancarlo Stanton has been swinging a hot bat of late, going 9/31 with four homers in his last nine games.

• The Yankees are 7-3 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Yankees are 4-1 vs. the run line.
• New York has an over/under record of 6-4 in their last ten games.
• The Yankees have an average of 5.4 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Yankees are 8-2
• Looking back across the Yankees last five games as the favorite, they are 4-1
• New York has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Yankees have averaged 5.5 runs per game on offense

The Guardians Can Win If…

Facing a must-win game five at home, the Guardians are looking to avoid elimination, as they trail the Yankees 3-1 in this best-of-seven series. Cleveland posted a 92-69 record during the regular season, including a 50-30 mark at home and 42-39 on the road. They’ve lost two straight games heading into this matchup.

During the regular season, Cleveland went 85-85 against the run line, with a +0.7 run-scoring margin at home and +0.3 on the road. As favorites, their run line record was 47-56, while they went 38-29 as underdogs. Their over/under record stands at 73-85, and the over has hit in three consecutive games for the Guardians.

Cleveland is sending right-hander Tanner Bibee to the mound today vs. the Yankees. He has made 31 starts this year and has a record of 12-8 with an ERA of 3.47. Bibee’s WHIP for the season is 1.12, and opponents are batting .225 off him this year. In his 34 appearances, Bibee has turned in 12 quality starts. The last time he faced the Yankees, he gave up two earned runs in 1 1/3 innings of work. Bibee took the loss in that outing. Overall, he has given up a total of 22 homers this year.

Jose Ramirez has been a consistent run producer for the Guardians this season, as his 118 RBIs are 3rd in the league and tops on the team. He also leads the team in home runs (39) and comes into the game with a three-game hitting streak. Over his last 10 games, Ramirez is batting .265 with three homers. Josh Naylor is also a big power threat in the lineup, as his 31 homers is 2nd on the team and 13th in the league.

As a team, the Guardians are averaging 4.4 runs per game and are batting a collective .238. Their team batting average is 14th in the league. Cleveland has been a good home run hitting team this season and are 9th in the league in home runs. They are also one of the best teams in the league at avoiding strikeouts.

• The Guardians are 4-6 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 5-4-1 in their last ten games.
• The Guardians have an average of 5.0 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten home games, the Guardians are 5-5
• Looking back across the Guardians last five games as the favorite, they are 2-3
• Cleveland has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Guardians have averaged 3.7 runs per game on offense

The Lean

Today’s Yankees and Guardians matchup is our highest projected game in terms of hits, and we are leaning towards the Yankees to come out on top. However, we are actually leaning towards taking the under. New York starter Carlos Rodón has the 6th highest projected strikeouts among today’s starters, and Tanner Bibee is making his first career start for the Guardians.

MLB Picks and Previews

The New York Yankees are on the brink of their first World Series appearance since 2009, leading the Cleveland Guardians 3-1 in the American League Championship Series (ALCS). With Game 5 set for Saturday in Cleveland, the Yankees are counting on ace Carlos Rodon to close out the series and punch their ticket to the Fall Classic.

Stanton Powers Yankees to ALCS Lead

Giancarlo Stanton has been a force in the Yankees’ lineup throughout the postseason. With four home runs, including three in the ALCS, Stanton has powered New York to within one victory of the World Series. His latest contribution came in Game 4 when he blasted a three-run homer that gave the Yankees a 6-2 lead, helping secure a nail-biting 8-6 win.

Stanton’s success is no accident. The slugger credits his meticulous preparation, spending hours studying film and refining his swing. “I exhaust all my resources. You’re not always going to perform well, but as long as I’ve done everything I can to prepare, I know I’m in a good spot,” Stanton said.

His heroics in the ALCS follow a dramatic Game 3 performance, where Stanton hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning. However, the Yankees couldn’t hold the lead, as the Guardians tied it with two outs in the ninth and walked off in the 10th inning. But the Yankees bounced back in Game 4, with Stanton again at the heart of the action, putting New York in prime position to clinch the series.

Rodon Ready to Seal the Deal

Carlos Rodon, the Yankees’ Game 5 starter, has been reliable throughout the postseason. In Game 1 of the ALCS, Rodon held the Guardians to just one run over six strong innings, earning the win. Now, with a chance to propel his team to the World Series, Rodon is focused on maintaining his dominant form.

“I’ll definitely be looking at what worked in Game 1,” Rodon said. “I’m not going to reveal too much about my plan, but I know I’m ready to compete just like I did the first time.”

Rodon had a solid regular season, posting a 16-9 record with a 3.96 ERA over 32 starts. The Yankees will be hoping for another quality start from the left-hander to avoid having to use their bullpen extensively, which has been critical in preserving their leads throughout the series.

Guardians Facing Elimination

The Cleveland Guardians are fighting to keep their season alive, but they are dealing with mounting challenges, especially in their pitching staff. Right-hander Tanner Bibee, who will start Game 5, struggled in his last appearance. In Game 1 of the series, he lasted only 1 1/3 innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits. With Cleveland’s bullpen exhausted after being heavily used in the last two games, Bibee will need to provide length to give his team a fighting chance.

“Everybody’s tired,” admitted Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, acknowledging the strain on his bullpen. “But we’re going to show up ready to win. That’s who these guys are.”

The Guardians’ bullpen woes have been a major storyline in the ALCS. Closer Emmanuel Clase, usually one of the most reliable arms in baseball, has struggled mightily, giving up two runs in Game 3 and two more in Game 4, ultimately taking the loss. With the bullpen fatigued, the Guardians will lean on Bibee to turn in a strong outing.

Cleveland’s Resilience Tested

Despite the uphill battle, Cleveland’s offense has shown resilience, keeping the team in games with late-inning rallies. In Game 4, the Guardians cut the Yankees’ lead to one run in the seventh inning, thanks to key hits from Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor. A game-tying run in the eighth followed when David Fry’s comebacker allowed Cleveland to knot the score at 6-6. However, the Guardians ultimately fell short in the ninth, leaving them on the brink of elimination.

“We’ve come back in every game we’ve been down. This team never quits,” said Josh Naylor, whose two-run double helped spark the Guardians’ Game 4 comeback. However, for Cleveland to extend the series, they’ll need more than just late-game heroics — they’ll need their pitching staff to rise to the occasion and shut down the Yankees’ powerful lineup.

Yankees’ Momentum Building

New York’s success in this series has been driven by contributions up and down the lineup. Juan Soto, another key offensive weapon, set the tone early in Game 4 with a two-run homer just six pitches into the game, putting the Yankees in control from the outset. While the Guardians have shown an ability to rally, New York’s ability to strike early has kept them on top.

With a World Series appearance within reach, the Yankees have their sights set on closing out the Guardians and moving one step closer to their ultimate goal. Stanton’s postseason dominance and Rodon’s consistency on the mound provide the Yankees with the firepower they need to finish the job in Game 5.

Pitching Duel to Decide Game 5

The pitching matchup for Game 5 will be crucial. Rodon, with his postseason experience and ability to neutralize Cleveland’s offense, is well-positioned to give the Yankees the edge. On the other hand, Tanner Bibee must deliver a standout performance for the Guardians, as the team’s bullpen may not be able to handle another heavy workload.

For the Yankees, the path to victory lies in Rodon’s ability to pitch deep into the game and the continued offensive production from Stanton, Soto, and others. For the Guardians, their hopes rest on Bibee bouncing back from his Game 1 struggles and Cleveland’s offense finding a way to break through against Rodon.

What’s at Stake?

A win for the Yankees would send them to the World Series for the first time in 15 years, ending a drought that dates back to 2009. For the Guardians, a loss would end their season, despite a valiant effort throughout the playoffs. Both teams will leave everything on the field in what promises to be an intense, winner-take-all contest.

Conclusion: Yankees Poised for World Series Berth

As the Yankees and Guardians prepare for Game 5, the stakes couldn’t be higher. New York is just one win away from breaking their World Series drought, while Cleveland is fighting to extend their season. With Carlos Rodon on the mound for the Yankees and a well-rounded offense firing on all cylinders, the Yankees are in the driver’s seat to close out the series. However, if Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee can deliver a strong outing and their offense can replicate their late-game magic, the Guardians could push this series to the limit.

Saturday’s Game 5 will be a battle of determination, resilience, and skill — with the winner advancing to the World Series and the loser left to reflect on what could have been.