Cleveland Guardians vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 7/18/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Cleveland Guardians vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds/Point Spread: Cleveland (-130) Pittsburgh (+110)

The Pittsburgh Pirates (41-52) will play the Cleveland Guardians (45-48) at PNC Park on Tuesday. The line on this contest has the Guardians at -130 while the Pirates are priced at +110. The over/under is set at 9. The starting pitchers are Logan Allen and Mitch Keller.

As a team, the Cleveland Guardians are putting up 4.0 runs per game, which ranks them 27th in MLB. They have accumulated 374 runs and hold an on-base percentage of .314. The Guardians have hit 169 doubles as a team and have knocked 64 balls out of the park. They have accounted for 348 RBI's and 794 hits this year, while their batting average is at .250. Cleveland has a slugging percentage of .376 and have been called out on strikes 660 times, while taking a walk on 277 occasions.

The Guardians are sitting with a team earned run average of 3.92 on the year (10th in the league), and they have struck out 732 batters. Guardians pitchers have surrendered 96 home runs and 392 total runs (7th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 286 opposing players and their FIP is 4.16 as a unit over the course of the season. Cleveland has relinquished 778 hits (8.4 per 9 innings) and also 363 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.56 and the pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.28.

The Guardians have sent 301 relievers to the mound over the course of the season. The relief pitchers have inherited 104 base runners this season and 21.2% of them ended up scoring. They have 28 saves for the season and have blown 19 out of their 47 save opportunities. The Guardians bullpen have a save percentage of 59.6% and stepped onto the hill in 102 save situations. The relief pitchers have accumulated 53 holds on the campaign (9th in the league). Guardians pitchers have come into the game with runners on base 82 times in addition to having 120 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Cleveland Guardians have 2,503 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 858 assists and 44 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .987 which is 7th in pro baseball, and have accumulated 63 double plays. The Guardians have transformed 70.2% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 7,509 innings on the field, which has them ranked 8th in pro baseball.

Allen has pitched in 96 innings and has earned 68 punch outs in his MLB career. Allen (5-10 record in his career) is the owner of a FIP of 5.62 and he has gone up against 438 opposing batters during his time in the major leagues. His ERA is 5.89 (63 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.661. He has surrendered 118 base knocks (11.0 hits per 9 innings) and has had 42 walks.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have tallied a team OBP of .315 and a batting average of .238 so far this season. They have been rung up on 797 occasions (18th in MLB) and have earned a total of 730 base hits. Pittsburgh has hit 83 home runs on the year to go along with 369 RBIs. The Pirates have a SLG% of .384 and they are recording 4.17 runs per game (26th in MLB). They have 164 doubles, while taking a walk 324 times as well as scoring 388 runs.

The Pirates have a team WHIP of 1.379 with a FIP of 4.27 as a squad this year. Their K/BB ratio sits at 8.50 (775 strikeouts against 335 free passes). They are sitting at 21st in baseball as a staff in total hits conceded with 793. They have conceded 94 dingers and they surrender 4.86 runs per 9 innings (22nd in baseball). The Pittsburgh pitching staff have conceded 442 runs on the year and come in with a team ERA of 4.38 (398 earned runs conceded).

Sitting with 76 save situations, the Pirates have 39 holds in addition to 12 blown saves. Pittsburgh has called on relievers to step onto the mound in 35 save chances and they have tallied 23 saves. Their relievers have stepped onto the mound 90 times in high leverage situations and also on 88 occasions with runners on base. Pittsburgh relievers have an inherited score percentage of 35.3% of 136 inherited runners. They are currently ranked 10th in baseball holding a save percentage of 65.7%, and they have sent 290 bullpen pitchers to the hill so far this year.

Out of their 7,362 innings on the field, the Pirates have a defensive efficiency of 68.2% (23rd in baseball). The Pittsburgh Pirates have gotten 76 double plays and have a fielding rate of .982 (28th in professional baseball). The Pirates have accrued 771 assists, 59 errors and have 2,454 putouts so far this season.

Keller (21-33 career mark) has earned a 4.56 earned run average and has given up 9.5 hits per 9 innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.49 and he has gone up against 1,955 opposing batters in his career. He has surrendered 226 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.452 and having a FIP of 3.9. So far in his career, Keller has surrendered 471 base knocks while earning 440 K's in 446 innings.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Cleveland (-130)

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