Guardians, Twins in Showdown
There is no MLB game on Wednesday’s schedule that means more than the Cleveland Guardians taking on the Minnesota Twins.
Following Cleveland’s victory on Tuesday, the two teams are tied atop the American League Central. A win on Wednesday means sole possession of first place before Thursday’s series finale in the Twin Cities.
Check the latest MLB picks, stats, injury reports and MLB odds for Guardians vs Twins. There are plenty of MLB predictions.
Guardians on Tear
Considering the Cleveland Guardians were below .500 as recently as June 7, no one was surprised to see their MLB playoff odds shrinking by the day. But since starting the season 19-24, the Guardians have gone 16-4 over their last 20 games to move in 35-28 and into a tie with the Minnesota Twins.
Even after a red-hot stretch, the Guardians are still 18th in total runs in OPS. Yet their .249 batting average cracks the MLB’s top 10 and their 440 strikeouts are the fewest in baseball.
On the mound, Cleveland’s 3.58 ERA and 1.18 WHIP are the sixth-lowest marks in the league, while its 31 quality starts are tied for the third most.
Triston McKenzie will be tasked with keeping the good times rolling for the Guardians. The 24-year-old is just 4-5 but carries a 2.96 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 70.0 innings.
Twins Caught in a Funk
The Minnesota Twins have had a few peaks and valleys. Following a 4-8 start, Minnesota got all the way to 27-16 and held a comfortable division lead. But since being a season-high 11 games over .500, the Twins have gone just 11-15 to cough up first place, with losses in three of their last four contests to boot.
If you regularly make MLB picks, you know that Minnesota’s lineup can produce. The Twins sit 12th in runs and are currently in the top 10 for batting average, OPS, and walks. Their 78 home runs are also sixth in the AL.
Surprisingly, Minnesota’s pitching has also stepped up, averaging a 3.85 ERA and 1.24 WHIP to rank 11th and 14th, respectively.
Sonny Gray, Minnesota’s biggest offseason acquisition on the mound, will start Wednesday’s matchup. The 32-year-old has allowed a single run across his last three starts, giving him an exceptional 2.09 ERA and 0.93 WHIP.
Guardians vs Twins Head-to-Head
This is the second series between the Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins The first was in Minneapolis from May 13-15, with the Twins winning two of three.
Minnesota has held the definitive edge in the last two seasons, taking 11 of 19 games in 2021 and seven of 10 in 2020. However, Cleveland won the series in each of the previous four seasons.
Guardians vs Twins Game Information
- Game: Guardians (35-28) vs Twins (38-31)
- Location: Target Field, Minneapolis
- Day/Time: Wednesday, 7:40 p.m. ET
- Guardians vs Twins Live Stream: MLB.TV
Guardians vs Twins Betting Lines
| Team | Handicap | Moneyline | Total | Team Total |
| Cleveland Guardians
T. McKenzie -R |
+1½ -165 | +137 | 8½ -115o | 3½ -120o
3½ -110u |
| Minnesota Twins
S. Gray -R |
-1½ +145 | -152 | 8½ -105u | 4½ -105o
4½ -125u |
Guardians vs Twins Prediction
Based on the team records and the pitching matchup, the MLB lines should have this matchup fairly close. Yet the Minnesota Twins hold a considerable -152 advantage on the moneyline, while the Cleveland Guardians are +137 underdogs.
The over/under is also higher than one might expect after looking up the latest scores and odds. Despite two All-Star-caliber pitchers on the bump, Wednesday’s game has an O/U of 8½ runs, with the over actually favored at -115.
Of course, these teams have scored against one another in the past. Tuesday’s matchup produced 11 combined runs in 11 innings and their first game against one another saw 20 runs scored. That said, their two other games had five and four combined runs, with McKenzie pitching in one of them.
With two great pitchers dueling , head to the sportsbook and bet the under.
The odds and predictions in the article are based on time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.
