Cleveland Guardians vs Texas Rangers Picks and Predictions August 25th 2024

At 1:40 PM ET, the Rangers and Guardians square off in an AL matchup. This one is being played at Progressive Field in Cleveland, and the Guardians are the betting favorite at -127. The money line odds for the Rangers are sitting at +108, and the over/under line is currently 8.5 runs.

Cody Bradford is starting for the Rangers, and he is facing off against Matthew Boyd. Texas is 3rd in the AL West with a record of 60-70, while the Guardians are 1st in the AL Central at 74-55. MLBN is carrying this one on TV.

Texas is sending left-hander Cody Bradford to the mound today vs. the Guardians. He has made seven starts this year and has a record of 4-1 with an ERA of 3.56. Bradford’s WHIP for the season is currently .95. In his last outing, he took the loss, giving up three earned runs in seven innings of work. Before that, he had won two straight starts. Opponents are batting .208 this season off Bradford. Out of his seven starts, he has turned in four quality starts.

Corey Seager has been the Rangers’ best power hitter this season, as his 28 homers are the best on the team and 8th best in the league. However, he has hit just .226 over his last eight games. Marcus Semien has been swinging a better bat of late, going 11/39 in his last nine games, including one home run.

Adolis García and Marcus Semien are 2nd and 3rd on the Rangers in home runs this season, respectively. García has 21 homers but is batting just .226, while Semien has a better average at .243 and has gone deep 18 times. García comes into the game on a three-game hitting streak.

Matthew Boyd will be making his third start of the season for the Guardians, and he has yet to pick up a decision in either of his first two outings. Boyd has been consistent in his first two starts, as he has gone 5 1/3 innings in each outing. In his first start, he gave up just one run, and in his last outing, he gave up three runs.

Heading into today’s game, the Guardians are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 12th in the league. They have been a better offensive team at home this season, averaging 5 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting just .238, which is 15th in the MLB right now. José Ramírez has been a bright spot for the team, as he is 2nd on the team with a batting average of .273 and leads the team with 33 homers and 102 RBIs.

Over his last seven games, Jhonkensy Noel is batting .318 with two homers. This is a nice change of pace for the Guardians, as Josh Naylor and José Ramírez have both struggled at the plate of late. Naylor is just 3/29 in his last eight games, while Ramírez is 4/28 in his last eight games.

Guardians Aim to Secure Series Win and AL Central Cushion Against Rangers

The Cleveland Guardians are gearing up to close out their three-game series against the Texas Rangers on Sunday, with a crucial opportunity to extend their lead atop the American League Central. Currently holding a two-game edge over the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals, Cleveland is looking to create some breathing room as the season heats up.

Guardians Seek to Extend AL Central Lead

Cleveland’s division lead had shrunk to just one game for the first time since mid-May, but they bounced back in a big way with a commanding 13-5 victory over the Rangers on Saturday. This win, coupled with a loss by the Royals, allowed the Guardians to regain a two-game cushion in the standings.

Rookie Jhonkensy Noel was a standout in Saturday’s game, smashing a three-run homer. Noel’s power surge has been something special, with 11 home runs in his first 40 games—second only to Russell Branyan’s 12 in franchise history over the same span.

“That’s what we always try to do, try to get the next guy up,” Noel said through an interpreter, emphasizing the team’s focus on collective effort.

Matthew Boyd to Start for Guardians

The Guardians will send left-hander Matthew Boyd (0-0, 3.38 ERA) to the mound for Sunday’s series finale. Boyd is making his third start since coming back from Tommy John surgery, and while he’s shown promise, he’s still working to find his rhythm.

In his first start back on August 13 against the Chicago Cubs, Boyd allowed just one run on three hits over 5 1/3 innings, though he didn’t factor into the decision in Cleveland’s 2-1 win. His second start on Tuesday against the New York Yankees saw him give up three runs on four hits over 5 1/3 innings, again without earning a decision in a 9-5 extra-inning win for the Guardians.

Boyd’s career numbers against the Rangers are less encouraging—he’s 1-7 with a 6.49 ERA in 11 appearances (10 starts) against Texas.

Rangers Counter with Cody Bradford

The Rangers will counter with left-hander Cody Bradford (4-1, 3.56 ERA), who is looking to bounce back from his first loss of the season. Despite the loss, Bradford delivered a quality start against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday, allowing three runs on five hits over seven innings while tying his career high with eight strikeouts.

Bradford, who missed three months earlier this season due to a fractured rib, has been gradually easing back into form and still feels strong as the season progresses.

Bradford, 26, remains optimistic about his growth moving forward. “I still feel young in this game,” Bradford said. “I feel like I learn something new every single outing. I definitely try to be a student of the game and learn where I can improve.”

Despite his overall success this season, Bradford has struggled against the Guardians, holding a 1-1 record with a 12.00 ERA in two appearances.

Guardians and Rangers Gear Up for Pivotal Series Finale

As the Guardians and Rangers prepare for their series finale, Cleveland is focused on locking down a series win that could further solidify their lead in the AL Central. With Matthew Boyd looking to regain his pre-injury form and Cody Bradford aiming to rebound from his first loss, Sunday’s game promises to be a crucial contest for both teams. The Guardians are eager to keep their momentum going and build on their recent success as they push toward the postseason.

As the Rangers and Guardians face off today, we are leaning towards the Rangers picking up the win on the road. We have this as the 10th highest-scoring game of the day and the 5th highest combined hits total. For an over/under pick, we would be leaning towards the over. Looking at today’s starters, we have Matthew Boyd as the better strikeout option.