Gavin Williams will get the start for the Guardians (47-49, 24-22 home) as they host the Phillies (52-44, 26-25 away) at Progressive Field. The Phillies will give the starting nod to Ranger Suárez. Check out my prediction for game one of this interleague matchup between the Philadelphia Phillies and Cleveland Guardians.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES VS CLEVELAND GUARDIANS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Philadelphia Phillies -122

This game will be played at Progressive Field at 7:10 ET on Friday, July 21st.

WHY BET THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES:

  • In their last five games, the Phillies have a record of 3-2.
  • The Phillies have put together a 6-4 record in their last ten games as the favorite.
  • For the season, the Phillies have gone 7-5 with Ranger Suárez on the mound as the starter.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES TRYING TO CLOSE GAP IN NL EAST

Entering with a record of 52-44, the Phillies are in 2nd place in the NL East and are losers of two straight games. So far, they have a road win percentage of 51.0% compared to 57.8% at home. Philadelphia’s overall series record stands at 17-12-2.

Today marks Ranger Suárez’s 13th outing of the 2023 season, with a record of 2-4. His ERA is 3.84 and OBP allowed is .316. He has punched out 62 batters and holds a WHIP of 1.35. When away from home, his ERA is 2.79, compared to 7.16 when pitching at home.

Ranger Suárez was not credited with a win or loss in the Phillies’ 6-4 victory over the Padres in his most recent outing. Nevertheless, he put together a quality start, surrendering three runs on six hits over six innings of action.

So far this season, the Phillies’ has gone deep 107 times, placing them 15th in the league. Over Philadelphia’s previous five games, they are 16th in runs scored, with their season average of 4.5 runs per game putting them 14th in the league. The Phillies’ overall team batting average stands at .258 along with an OBP of .320.

Over the last five games, Bryson Stott has been a standout for the Phillies, leading the team in hits with a .371 batting average. This season, Stott is hitting .305 and has knocked in 35 runs.

WILL THE CLEVELAND GUARDIANS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

On a record of 47-49, the Guardians are 2nd in the AL Central. At home, they have put together a win percent of 52.2% compared to 46.0% on the road. This season, Cleveland has gone 19-24 against teams who are above .500, and hold an overall series record of 13-16-1.

The Guardians will look to Gavin Williams for a spark, as the starter has a 1-2 record thus far. Across five appearances, his ERA is 3.94 and K/9 is 6.98. Williams has compiled a FIP of 4.70 and an OBP of .293 in 2023.

Gavin Williams was on the mound for the Guardians’ last game, but they ultimately fell to the Rangers 2-0. He pitched five innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs.

The Guardians have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 15 home runs over their last ten games. Compared to other clubs, this is 4th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 26th in home runs and 18th in slugging percentage. Overall, Cleveland is averaging 4.2 runs per game (23rd).

Josh Naylor has been a major contributor to the Guardians’ offensive success this season, leading the team with 15 home runs over their last five games. His batting average of .310 is also impressive, as he has gone deep three times in that span