Cleveland comes into this interleague matchup vs. the Reds as the heavy favorite on the money line, with their odds sitting at -148. The Reds are +124 on the money line, and the over/under line is at 8 runs. This one is being played at Progressive Field in Cleveland, and the Guardians are 1st in the AL Central, while the Reds are 4th in the NL Central.
First pitch for this one is set for 6:40 PM ET, and BSGL will be televising this game. Cincinnati will be looking to pull off the upset and win on the road, as they are 76-82 this season.
Cincinnati vs. Cleveland Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Reds at Guardians
- Where: Progressive Field Cleveland
- Date: Wednesday, September 25th
- Betting Odds CLE -148 | CIN +124 O/U 8
Reds vs Guardians Last Game Recap
Cleveland cruised to an easy 6-1 win over the Reds in the most recent game of this series. The Guardians had a huge 1st inning, scoring three of their six runs. As for the Reds, they scored their only run in the 4th. Heading into the game, the Guardians were favored at -202 on the money line.
Tanner Bibee pitched well for the Guardians in this one, going seven innings and giving up just one run. He finished the game with seven strikeouts but issued two walks. On the other side, Carson Spiers only went four innings for the Reds, giving up three earned runs on five hits.
Cleveland's two and three hitters, Lane Thomas and Kyle Manzardo, each homered in the game. Thomas, Josh Naylor, and Jose Ramirez each had two RBIs for the Guardians' offense.
Reds Preview
Cincinnati's overall series record is 20-28-3, and they are 5-5 in their last 10 games. They have a 39-42 home record and are 37-40 on the road. As underdogs, the Reds have a 25-34 record, while they are 35-34 as favorites. The Reds are 76-82 overall and are in 4th place in the NL Central, 14.5 games behind the Brewers.
On the run line, the Reds are 85-73 for the season and 47-30 on the road. Their games have had an average run total of 8.7, and the under has hit in their last 3 games. Today's over/under line of 8 runs is lower than usual, as 70.9% of their games have had over/under lines higher than 8, with an average line of 9 runs.
Cincinnati is sending Jakob Junis to the mound today vs. the Guardians, and he has made 23 appearances this season, including five starts. Junis' record for the season is 4-0, and he has an ERA of 2.61. Looking at his overall numbers, Junis has a WHIP of .84 and has issued just 1.02 walks per nine innings. The right-hander has made one quality start this year and is coming off an outing in which he went six innings, giving up one earned run and two hits. In that outing, he didn't give up a homer.
Elly De La Cruz has been swinging a hot bat of late for the Reds, going 10/34 over his last eight games, and he also has one home run during this stretch. Overall, he is batting .260 and is 2nd on the team with 74 RBIs. Spencer Steer and Jeimer Candelario are also near the top of the team's home run list, but both are hitting below .230 for the season.
As a team, the Reds are averaging 4.4 runs per game and are 14th in home runs. However, they have been a below-average hitting team this season, batting just .232. The Reds are also near the bottom of the league in terms of on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
Guardians Preview
Cleveland has been a solid team to bet on the run line this season, with an 81-77 record. They have a 49-28 record at home and have won three straight games at home. The Guardians are 91-67 overall and have won seven of their last ten games.
The over/under line of 8 runs for today's game is in line with the average of 8.3 runs per game in Guardians games this season. Cleveland's over/under record for the season is 68-79, and the under has hit in their last two games.
Left-hander Joey Cantillo gets the start for the Guardians today as he faces off against the Reds at home. So far this season, he has made seven starts and one of them was a quality start. Cantillo's ERA for the season is 4.63, along with a record of 2-3. In his last outing, he finished with a no-decision, going 4 1/3 innings and giving up one earned run on three hits. Before that, he had won two straight starts. Cantillo's WHIP for the season is currently 1.20.
Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor have been a powerful 1-2 punch for the Guardians this season, as Ramirez's 37 homers are 7th in the league and Naylor's 31 homers are 11th in the MLB. Ramirez also comes into the game with the 3rd most RBIs in the league at 112, while Naylor is 7th with 107 RBIs. Over his last five games, Ramirez has gone 7/20 with two homers and five RBIs.
As a team, the Guardians are averaging 4.4 runs per game and are batting a combined .238. Cleveland is 9th in the league in home runs and have been a good home run hitting team so far this season. They are also 4th in the league in fewest strikeouts per game.
Reds vs. Guardians Prediction: Guardians ML -148
Our prediction for today's Reds vs. Guardians matchup is to take the Guardians on the money line at -148. We have the Guardians winning this one by a final score of 5-4. If you're looking for a parlay option, you could also take the over, as the line is sitting at 8 runs.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Jakob Junis finishing with six strikeouts compared to Joey Cantillo at seven. However, Cantillo is projected to go just four innings, so you could look to the Guardians' bullpen to pick up some additional strikeouts.
