The Cleveland Guardians and Texas Rangers meet again Tuesday night, and the matchup comes with plenty of pressure on both sides.
First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. EST, with the game at Progressive Field airing on MLB.TV. Cleveland sends Tanner Bibee to the mound, while Texas counters with Jacob DeGrom.
Bibee enters at 2-8 with a 3.78 ERA. His last outing came last Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox, when he worked six scoreless innings, struck out three, and finished with a no decision. DeGrom is 6-5 with a 3.55 ERA for the Rangers.
The standings race adds some extra tension to the night. Cleveland is locked in a tight battle with the Chicago White Sox at the top of the AL Central, while Texas is right in the thick of a crowded AL West, where the top four teams are separated by just two games.
Injuries are part of the picture too. The Guardians remain without Chase DeLauter, who is dealing with a rib injury, and Jose Ramirez is still on the 10-day injured list. The Rangers will also be missing Will Wilson because of a thumb injury.
Dimers ran 10,000 simulations of the matchup and came away with a lean toward Texas. Its model gives the Rangers the edge to win at Progressive Field, though it also shows Cleveland +1.5 covering the spread in 60.8% of simulations.
The total is set at 7.5 runs, and the model points slightly toward the over at 55.6%. Dimers’ top betting recommendation is Over 7.5 runs at 50¢.
The same simulations give Cleveland a 49.2% chance to win outright. Dimers also noted player prop projections for names including Brayan Rocchio and Steven Kwan.
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Josh Naylor's Ugly Guardians History Just Took Another Turn
Kyle Manzardos go-ahead homer on Sept. 16 gave the Guardians a late lift, and Josh Naylor was right there at home plate celebrating the moment with his teammate. It was a reminder of the kind of energy Naylor has brought since arriving in Cleveland in 2020, even as his time with the club has been defined by more than just big swings and loud celebrations.
There has also been no shortage of friction along the way, and a recent on-field exchange with Austin Hedges only added to the sense that the relationship has not always been smooth. The tension traces back through a roster shuffle that sent Aaron Civale away in the deal for Manzardo and included the move of Josh Bell, leaving Naylors place in the organization feeling more complicated than it once did. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Slide Sends A Worrying Message During Jose Ramirez Absence
The Guardians have spent the last stretch trying to keep their footing while key injuries pile up, and the latest reminder of that strain has shown up in the standings and in the national power rankings. With Jose Ramirez sidelined, Chase DeLauter and Angel Martinez also working back from injuries, Cleveland has dropped in Bleacher Reports latest rankings and now sits a game behind the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.
It is the kind of slide that feels bigger than one bad week because the division has tightened around them. Cleveland went from holding a half-game edge on June 13 to chasing from behind now, with Minnesota also hanging close, and the Guardians need some stability before the absence of Ramirez starts to define the race for them. [Read more 🡒]