The Guardians (56-60, 25-32 away) travel to take on the Rays (69-48, 38-21 home) in game one of this American League matchup. Xzavion Curry is getting the start for the Guardians while Aaron Civale is starting for the Rays. See who I like to pick up the win in today’s Cleveland Guardians vs. Tampa Bay Rays showdown at Tropicana Field.

CLEVELAND GUARDIANS VS TAMPA BAY RAYS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Cleveland Guardians +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Tropicana Field at 6:40 ET on Friday, August 11th.

WHY BET THE CLEVELAND GUARDIANS:

  • Over their last five games as the favorite, the Rays are just 2-3 against the runline.
  • The Guardians have covered the runline in each of their three most recent games as the underdog.
  • Opponents are hitting just .217 against Xzavion Curry in his last two starts.

CLEVELAND GUARDIANS LOOKING FOR UPSET AS ROAD UNDERDOGS

For the season, the Guardians have put together a record of 56-60 and are 2nd in the AL Central, putting them 3.5 games out of first place. Cleveland’s overall series record sits at 16-18-2. On the road, they have gone 25-32 and 31-28 at home.

Xzavion Curry will take the mound for the Cleveland Indians today, boasting a 3-1 record. He has made 29 appearances this season, with an ERA of 2.95 and a K/9 rate of 6.33. Curry’s FIP stands at 4.12 and his OBP is .278.

Xzavion Curry’s last start ended in a no-decision as the Guardians were defeated by the White Sox, 5-3. The right-hander tossed five frames, giving up two runs on four hits.

The Guardians have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 1 home runs over their last five games. Compared to other clubs, this is 10th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 26th in home runs and 24th in slugging percentage. Overall, Cleveland is averaging 4 runs per game (24th).

Gabriel Arias has been a standout for the Guardians this season, as he has hit five home runs in their last five games. His batting average stands at .193, with one of those home runs coming in the most recent contest.

WILL THE TAMPA BAY RAYS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Tampa Bay’s overall record currently stands at 69-48, placing them 2nd in the AL East. The Rays will look to extend their current series winning streak to 37 and have an overall series record of 20-11-5. At home, Tampa Bay is 38-21 and 31-27 on the road.

Rays starter Aaron Civale is off to a strong start in 2021, boasting a 5-3 record over 14 appearances. His ERA stands at an impressive 2.54, and he has recorded 6.86 strikeouts per nine innings pitched (K/9). Additionally, his fielding independent pitching (FIP) is 3.42 and opposing batters have a .272 on-base percentage (OBP) against him.

Aaron Civale’s last start was not his best, as he allowed three earned runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings. The Rays ultimately fell to the Tigers, 4-2.

For the season, the Rays’ offense is averaging 5.2 runs per game. Over their last five games they have swung the bats well, sitting 7th in the league in scoring, with a total of 22 runs. Overall, Tampa Bay’s team batting average is .255, putting them 8th in the MLB.

The Rays’ Wander Franco is their leader in hits, boasting a .279 batting average. His slugging percentage stands at .471 and his on-base percentage is .343 entering the game.