Cleveland Guardians vs Texas Rangers Picks and Predictions August 23rd 2024

Cleveland comes into this AL matchup vs. the Rangers looking to end a two-game losing streak, as they are 73-54 overall. Texas is 3rd in the AL West with a record of 59-69. The money line odds have the Guardians at -139 compared to the Rangers at +118. This game is being televised on BSGL.

Friday’s forecast in Cleveland calls for cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid 70’s. First pitch from Progressive Field is set for 7:10 PM ET. The over/under line is currently 7.5 runs. Nathan Eovaldi is starting for the Rangers, and he is facing off against Tanner Bibee.

Texas is sending right-hander Nathan Eovaldi to the mound today vs. the Guardians. He has made 22 starts this season and has a record of 8-7 with a 3.76 ERA. Eovaldi’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.09. In his last outing, he took the loss, giving up three earned runs in seven innings of work. Before that outing, he had given up at least five earned runs in three straight starts. Eovaldi has allowed 18 homers this season and is averaging 8.72 strikeouts per nine innings.

Corey Seager has been the Rangers’ top power threat this season, as his 28 home runs are the best mark on the team and 9th in the league. However, he has just two home runs over his last six games and is batting just .217 during that stretch. Marcus Semien has been swinging the bat well of late, going 9/30 in his last seven games, including one home run.

As a team, the Rangers are averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 21st in the league. Their team batting average is just .238, and their collective slugging percentage of .379 is also below the league average. Overall, they are 15th in home runs this season.

Right-hander Tanner Bibee gets the start for the Guardians today as he faces the Rangers at home. He has made 24 starts this season and has a record of 10-5 with a 3.33 ERA. Bibee’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.08. In his 24 starts, he has turned in eight quality starts and is averaging 9.79 strikeouts per nine innings. Bibee most recently faced the Brewers, where he took the loss, going five innings and giving up two earned runs. Before that outing, he had won two straight starts.

Over his last nine games, Jhonkensy Noel has been swinging a hot bat for the Guardians, hitting .286 with four home runs. He also has six runs scored and seven RBIs during this stretch. As a team, the Guardians are averaging 4.5 runs per game and are 12th in home runs this season.

Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor have been the team’s top power threats this season, with Ramirez’s 32 homers leading the team and Naylor’s 27 being the 2nd most on the team. Ramirez also has a team-high 101 RBIs, which is 2nd in the league. Overall, the Guardians offense is 12th in home runs and batting .236.

Rangers Ready to Play Spoiler as They Face Guardians

As the Texas Rangers gear up to take on the Cleveland Guardians in a three-game series starting Friday night, they’ve got one clear goal: finish the season strong and throw a wrench in the Guardians’ playoff hopes. Even though this season hasn’t gone as planned for Texas, they’re eager to play the role of spoiler while Cleveland clings to a slim lead in the American League Central.

Rangers Aim to End Season on a High Note

The Texas Rangers have had a tough year, far from the glory of their World Series win last season. Now sitting 10 games below .500, the Rangers are closer to the bottom of the AL West than the top, with playoff dreams long gone. But that doesn’t mean they’re giving up. The team is determined to finish the season with pride and build some momentum for the future.

After a rough stretch, the Rangers showed some signs of life by winning three out of four games to close out a recent homestand. Their 1-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday marked their first series win since late July. While this season has been a disappointment, Rangers general manager Chris Young stressed the importance of giving it their all right until the end.

The Rangers’ offense has struggled lately, hitting just .218 and striking out 62 times during the seven-game homestand. However, they managed to secure Wednesday’s win with a walk-off RBI single from Wyatt Langford, showing their resilience even when the bats aren’t firing.

Guardians Fight to Maintain AL Central Lead

The Cleveland Guardians, once comfortably leading the AL Central, now find themselves in a nail-biting race with the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals. After a rough 1-5 road trip, which ended with a 6-0 loss to the New York Yankees, the Guardians’ lead has shrunk to just two games.

Cleveland’s offense has been all over the place, struggling to put runs on the board during their recent road trip. The team was shut out twice and managed just one hit in their most recent game, a leadoff single by Steven Kwan. Guardians manager Stephen Vogt emphasized the need for the team to get back to basics and focus on what they do best.

Pitching Matchup: Bibee vs. Eovaldi

Friday’s game will feature an interesting pitching duel between two right-handers: Tanner Bibee for the Guardians and Nathan Eovaldi for the Rangers.

Tanner Bibee (10-5, 3.33 ERA) has been a standout for Cleveland, with a 1.65 ERA over his last five starts. Despite dealing with a shoulder issue, Bibee has been sharp, giving up just two runs (one earned) and three hits in his last outing against Milwaukee. He’s also been lights-out against the Rangers this season, posting a 1.62 ERA in three starts against them, including 5 1/3 shutout innings in a May victory.

Nathan Eovaldi (8-7, 3.76 ERA) has had a rough August, with an 0-3 record and a 6.60 ERA. In his last start against the Minnesota Twins, Eovaldi gave up four runs over seven innings. The veteran pitcher will need to find his groove again if the Rangers are to have a shot against a Guardians team desperate for wins. Eovaldi’s history against Cleveland has been mixed, so he’ll need to be at his best to counter Bibee’s recent dominance.

Key Players to Watch

For Cleveland, José Ramírez is still the man to watch, even though he’s been in a bit of a slump. The All-Star third baseman has gone just 2-for-21 on the Guardians’ recent road trip, but he made history by becoming the first player in franchise history to record two seasons with at least 30 homers and 30 steals.

On the Rangers’ side, Nathaniel Lowe has also been struggling, going 1-for-17 in his last five games. However, Lowe has had success against Bibee, hitting .382 with two home runs in nine games at Cleveland. His performance could be crucial if the Rangers are going to challenge Bibee and the Guardians.

Series Outlook

The Texas Rangers may be out of the playoff race, but they have a chance to shake things up by playing spoiler against the Cleveland Guardians. With Tanner Bibee on the mound, the Guardians have a solid chance to strengthen their lead in the AL Central, but they’ll need their offense to step up after a rough road trip.

For the Rangers, this series is an opportunity to end the season on a high note and make life difficult for Cleveland. The pitching matchup will be key, with both Bibee and Eovaldi needing to bring their A-game. As the Guardians fight to hold onto their division lead, the Rangers are ready to make this a challenging series in what promises to be a tense and competitive showdown.

As the Rangers visit the Guardians, we are leaning towards the Rangers picking up the win on the road. And with our projections pointing to this being the 2nd highest-scoring game of the day, we are also leaning towards taking the over. The Rangers have the best team home run projection in the league today, and Nathan Eovaldi has the 3rd best strikeout projection among today’s starters.