Cleveland Guardians vs
Oakland AthleticsPredictions & Preview

Guardians Favored to Win in Pitching Duel Against Athletics: Friday Night Matchup Preview

In Friday night's matchup, the Cleveland Guardians will be facing off against the Oakland Athletics in the second game of their four-game series at Oakland Coliseum. Logan Allen will be starting for the Guardians, coming off a 7-8 record last season with a 3.81 ERA, while Ross Stripling will be on the mound for the Athletics, with a 0-5 record and 5.36 ERA in the previous season. Cleveland has a strong track record against Oakland, winning 8 of their last 10 meetings. The Guardians are favored to win, opening at -135 in the betting odds. Please note that this preview was written before Thursday's game.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Guardians -135 | Athletics +124
• Spread: Guardians -1.5 (+123) | Athletics +1.5 (-142)
• Total: Over/Under 8 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Cleveland will win straight-up is 57%.

Cleveland vs Oakland Stats

Cleveland Guardians

The Guardians won the AL Central in 2022 after finishing third in the division the previous season. Their pitching was strong, but they struggled offensively, leading to a loss of games. They made changes to their pitching staff in the offseason, adding Scott Barlow and Ben Lively while hoping for a return to form from Carlos Carrasco. However, their offensive shortcomings were not fully addressed, with few additions made in that area. Cleveland's offensive statistics were below average last season, with Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor standing out as top performers. Defensively, the team performed well, giving up an average of 3.93 runs per game. Cleveland is currently ranked 27th in offense, 9th in defense, and has started the season with a 0-0 record. Their overall power ranking is 19th.

Oakland Athletics Analysis

The Oakland Athletics struggled significantly last season, finishing as the worst team in the AL West with 112 losses. They had major deficiencies on both offense and defense, leading to a second consecutive season with over 100 losses. Despite some additions to their pitching staff in the offseason, the team did not adequately address their offensive shortcomings. Brent Rooker emerged as a standout offensive player for Oakland, while Miguel Andujar showed promise in Spring Training. The team's pitching also underperformed, with opponents hitting .266 against them and a high ERA of 5.48. Oakland currently ranks at the bottom of power rankings for offense and defense. In their most recent matches, Cleveland has struggled against Oakland, going 0-3.

Cleveland Guardians Primed to Shut Down Oakland Athletics in Pitching Duel

The Cleveland Guardians exhibited a strong pitching staff in the previous season, with one of their top pitchers preparing to take the mound in the upcoming game. Conversely, the Oakland Athletics struggled with their offense and are maintaining much of the same lineup. The Athletics particularly struggled against left-handed pitchers, as evidenced by their difficulty facing Allen, who notably shut them out with only two hits in his prior start against them. With Cleveland's impressive bullpen, they are anticipated to stifle Oakland's offense. Oakland's pitching also struggled last season, despite offseason improvements. Stripling, in particular, had a challenging season with an ERA exceeding 5. In the previous meeting between the two teams, Stripling allowed four runs in four innings against the Guardians. Given these factors, it is advised to place confidence in Cleveland to cover the money line in this matchup.

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