Minnesota Twins vs Cleveland Guardians Picks and Predictions August 10th 2024

At 7:10 PM ET, the Guardians and Twins face off in an AL Central matchup. This one is being played at Target Field in Minneapolis, and the Twins are favored on the money line, with their odds sitting at -119. The Guardians have lost seven straight and are +101 on the money line. Gavin Williams is the Guardians’ starter, and the Twins are starting Simeon Woods Richardson.

The over/under line is at 8.5 runs, and BSGL will be televising this one. The Guardians are 67-49, while the Twins have won two straight and are 2nd in the AL Central with a record of 65-50.

Cleveland vs. Minnesota Key Information

Gavin Williams gets the start for the Guardians today as he faces the Twins on the road. So far this season, he has made seven starts and has a record of 1-4 with an ERA of 4.91. Williams’ WHIP for the season is currently 1.49, and he has a batting average allowed of .267. In his 33 innings of work, Williams has only turned in one quality start. His ERA at home is 9.15 compared to 0.6 on the road, where he is 1-0.

Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor have been the Guardians’ most consistent power threats this season, as Ramirez’s 30 homers are 4th in the league, and Naylor’s 26 is 8th in the MLB. Ramirez is also 2nd in the league with 96 RBIs. Over the team’s last 10 games, both players have four homers, with Ramirez hitting .342 and Naylor batting .263.

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As a team, the Guardians are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 12th in the league. They have been a better offense at home this season, averaging 4.8 runs per game. Overall, they are batting .241, which is 14th in the league, and are 12th in home runs.

Right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson is starting for the Twins today and comes into the game with a record of 3-2 and ERA of 3.87. He has made 19 starts this season and has a WHIP of 1.23. Woods Richardson most recently faced the White Sox on August 4th, where he finished with a no-decision after giving up three earned runs in four innings of work. Before that outing, he had given up at least two earned runs in three straight starts. Opponents are batting .234 off Woods Richardson this season, and he has allowed a total of nine homers.

As a team, the Twins are averaging 4.9 runs per game, which is 7th in the league. They have been even better at home, averaging 5.1 runs per contest. Overall, they are the league’s 7th best hitting team, with a combined batting average of .253. Collectively, the Twins have been one of the league’s best power-hitting clubs, as they are 5th in the league in slugging percentage and 5th in isolated power.

Carlos Santana comes into the game on a 3-game hitting streak and has gone 6/19 in his last five games, including a home run. For the season, he is 2nd on the team with 15 homers and is batting .247. Ryan Jeffers leads the team with 17 homers but is batting just .227 overall. He is also looking to turn things around, as he has gone just 1/11 in his last three games.

For this Twins vs. Guardians matchup, our lean is to take the Twins to win straight-up. We also have this as the 11th ranked game in terms of runs scored, and the 10th ranked game in terms of hits. As for an over/under pick, we would lean towards the over. Looking at today’s starters, we have Simeon Woods Richardson finishing with more strikeouts than Gavin Williams for the Guardians.

Twins Look to Tighten AL Central Race as Guardians Try to Halt Slide

The Minnesota Twins are surrounding the best position in the American League Central, and they’ll mean to proceed with their push against the drooping Cleveland Guardians on Saturday. Subsequent to clearing a doubleheader on Friday, the Twins have pulled inside 1 1/2 rounds of the division-driving Guardians and could close the hole to simply half a game with another success.

Twins Riding Force

The Twins assumed command over Friday’s doubleheader, dominating the principal match 4-2 and following it up with a 6-3 triumph in the nightcap. Louie Varland started the second game for Minnesota, allowing three runs in 4 2/3 innings prior to being lifted. The Twins’ offense and warm up area got him, with Matt Wallner conveying a crucial three-run homer and Cole Sands procuring the success in help.

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Varland offered his thanks for the help from his partners. “Come Thanksgiving, I will tell everyone I’m appreciative for Matt Wallner and Cole Sands,” he expressed flippantly after the game.

With the breadth, Minnesota is currently ready to come down on Cleveland as the end of the week series proceeds.

Guardians Looking to End Skid

For the Guardians, the goal is basic: snap a season-most horrendously terrible seven-game long string of failures. Cleveland’s battles have fixed what was once a more agreeable lead in the division, and Saturday’s down presents a valuable chance to right the boat.

Gavin Williams (1-4, 4.91 ERA) will take the mound for the Guardians, hoping to rebound from a tough outing last Sunday when he allowed six runs on eight hits over four innings in a loss to the Baltimore Orioles. Despite his recent struggles, Williams has a history of success against the Twins, with a 1-0 record and a 1.50 ERA in two career starts against them, both of which came last year.

Twins Counter with Woods Richardson

Minnesota will counter with right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson (3-2, 3.87 ERA), who is looking to notch his first win since June 26. Woods Richardson took a no-decision in his last outing against the Chicago White Sox, giving up three runs on six hits in four innings. The 23-year-old has faced Cleveland once this season, allowing just one run in 5 1/3 innings back in May.

The Twins, despite missing key pitchers Joe Ryan and Brock Stewart due to injuries, are on a roll and will look to keep the momentum going at home. Ryan is dealing with a right teres major strain, which could end his season, while Stewart is set to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery next week.

Clase Approaching Milestone for Guardians

One bright spot for Cleveland has been closer Emmanuel Clase, who is closing in on the franchise’s all-time save record. Clase has 143 saves with the Guardians, just six shy of Cody Allen’s record. Despite the milestone being within reach, Clase remains focused on maintaining his health.

“I’m very happy we’re close to that milestone,” Clase said. “But the focus remains the same. To keep working to try to get there. … The focus is being healthy to pitch.”

Key Players to Watch

For the Guardians, Jose Ramirez continues to be a key offensive force. After seeing his five-game hitting streak snapped in the first game of the doubleheader, Ramirez bounced back with a 2-for-4 performance in the nightcap. The Guardians will need his bat to spark a turnaround on Saturday.

On the Twins’ side, Ryan Jeffers added to his group driving homer total with a long ball in the principal game on Friday, giving him 17 on the season. The Twins have major areas of strength for been home, flaunting a 34-21 record at Target Field, and will hope to proceed with their predominance there as they attempt to overwhelm Cleveland in the standings.

Outlook

With the AL Central race fixing, Saturday’s down is crucial for the two groups. The Twins are riding a flood of force and could fundamentally further develop their season finisher chances with another success, while the Guardians are desperate to halt their slide and keep up with their thin division lead. The stage is set for one more interesting matchup as the two groups battle for control of the division.