Ny Yankees vs Cleveland Guardians Picks and Predictions August 20th 2024

The Yankees and Guardians are set to square off in an AL matchup at 7:05 PM ET at Yankee Stadium in New York, NY. Cleveland is currently on a three-game losing streak, and their record of 72-52 has them first in the AL Central. The Yankees are 1st in the AL East with a record of 73-52.

New York is favored on the money line, with their odds sitting at -163 compared to the Guardians at +138. Tuesday’s over/under line is currently 8.5 runs, and the game will be televised on BSGL.

Matthew Boyd will be making his second start of the season for the Guardians, and this one comes on the road against the Yankees. In his first start, Boyd went 5 1/3 innings and gave up just 1 earned run, but he did not factor into the decision. He struck out 6 and allowed 3 hits.

So far this season, the Guardians are averaging 4.5 runs per game, which is 13th in the majors. At home, they have been even better, putting up 4.9 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting just .238, which is 17th in the league, and have the worst BABIP in the MLB. However, they have been good at avoiding strikeouts, and their team walk rate is right around the league average.

José Ramirez has been a big run producer for the Guardians this season, as his 100 RBIs are 2nd in the league. He is also 6th in the MLB with 32 home runs. Josh Naylor is 6th in the league in RBIs, and his 27 homers are the 2nd most on the team. However, he is batting just .245 for the season and has gone 3/20 in his last eight games.

Through 23 starts, Luis Gil has a record of 12-6 and an ERA of 3.25. Looking at his overall numbers, Gil has a WHIP of 1.15 and has issued 4.44 walks per nine innings compared to 10.43 strikeouts. Coming into the game, he has a starter wins league rank of 3. This year, Gil has made nine quality starts and is coming off a rough outing against the White Sox, where he gave up four earned runs in four innings of work. Before that, he had won two straight starts.

Heading into today’s game, the Yankees are averaging 5.1 runs per game, which is the 2nd best mark in the league. They have been even better on the road, averaging 5.4 runs per contest. The Yankees are the league’s top home run-hitting team and have the league’s top on-base percentage and OPS.

Not only do the Yankees have the league’s top home run hitter in Aaron Judge, but he also comes into the game with a seven-game hitting streak, going 15/33 in his last nine games with three homers. Overall, Judge is batting .331 with 44 homers and 111 RBIs. Juan Soto is also having a great season for the Yankees, hitting .300 with 34 homers and 87 RBIs.

As the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians square off in a three-game series starting Tuesday night, both teams are in desperate need of victories to boost their standings in their respective divisions. The Yankees are locked in a fierce battle with the Baltimore Orioles for the top spot in the American League East, while the Guardians are trying to maintain their shrinking lead in the AL Central.

Yankees Seek Consistency Amid Division Race

The Yankees have shown flashes of brilliance recently, winning 13 of their last 20 games. However, consistency has been elusive, especially against weaker opponents. They’ve gone 8-7 in a stretch of games against teams with losing records. Their recent series against the Detroit Tigers highlighted these issues, as they managed just five runs over three games and dropped two out of three.

The Yankees’ most recent setback came in the Little League Classic, where they lost 3-2 in 10 innings to the Tigers, largely due to a blown save by closer Clay Holmes. Holmes, who started the season strong, has struggled in recent months, blowing nine of his last 22 save opportunities. Despite these struggles, Yankees manager Aaron Boone remains confident in Holmes, keeping him in the closer role.

“The reality is he’s throwing the ball really well,” Boone said. “But right now, Clay’s the guy.”

Guardians Struggling to Maintain AL Central Lead

The Guardians are facing a slump that has seen their once-comfortable lead in the AL Central shrink to just two games. Cleveland is 5-10 in their last 15 games, including being swept by the Milwaukee Brewers in their most recent series, where they managed just four runs over three games.

Star player Jose Ramirez’s struggles have mirrored the team’s difficulties. Ramirez is 1-for-13 in his last four games, and the Guardians’ offense has failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities, especially in their recent losses.

“It’s a frustrating series,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said of the sweep in Milwaukee. “There’s no other way to put it.”

Pitching Matchup: Luis Gil vs. Matthew Boyd

Tuesday’s series opener will feature a pitching duel between Yankees rookie Luis Gil (12-6, 3.25 ERA) and Guardians veteran Matthew Boyd (0-0, 1.69 ERA). Gil will be looking to bounce back after a rough outing against the Chicago White Sox, where he allowed four runs in four innings. His only previous appearance against Cleveland came in 2021, where he had a mixed performance, allowing two runs over 4 1/3 innings.

Boyd, making just his second start since joining the Guardians’ rotation, was solid in his season debut against the Chicago Cubs, allowing one run over 5 1/3 innings. However, his career numbers against the Yankees are less encouraging, with a 5.19 ERA over five starts.

Series Outlook: A Must-Win for Both Teams

This series is critical for both the Yankees and Guardians as they look to solidify their positions in their divisions. The Yankees are aiming to stay ahead in the AL East race, while the Guardians are desperate to halt their recent slide and maintain their slim lead in the AL Central.

With both teams needing strong performances from their starters and key players, this matchup promises to be a closely contested series with significant implications for the postseason. Fans can expect a high-stakes battle as the Yankees and Guardians fight for much-needed wins.

Our lean for a money-line pick would be to take the Guardians to come out on top. And despite our projections pointing to this being the 3rd lowest-scoring game of the day, we are actually leaning towards taking the over. The Yankees offense has the 2nd worst team hits projection, and Luis Gil has the 19th best strikeout projection among today’s starters.