- Matchup: Cleveland Guardians vs. Tampa Bay Rays
- Date: Friday, July 24, 2026
- Venue: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
- Broadcast: MLB.TV
- Betting Odds: Cleveland (+132) Tampa Bay (-160)
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On Friday, the Tampa Bay Rays (59-42) will clash with the Cleveland Guardians (54-49) at Tropicana Field. The moneyline for this matchup places Cleveland at +132 and Tampa Bay opens at -160, with the total set at 8.5 runs. The starting pitchers are expected to be Joey Cantillo and Shane McClanahan.
The Guardians have recorded a slugging percentage of .378, along with 859 strikeouts and 369 walks this season. They have accumulated 398 RBIs and 797 hits for a team batting average of .234. With 159 doubles and 102 home runs, Cleveland has scored 416 runs, resulting in a modest on-base percentage of .313. Currently, they average 4.0 runs per game, ranking them 28th in MLB.
The Guardians boast a K/BB ratio of 2.76, while their pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.27. They have given up 117 home runs and a total of 420 runs, placing them 8th in the league. Cleveland has allowed 817 hits at an average of 8.1 per 9 innings, leading to a team ERA of 3.74 (8th in MLB) with 936 strikeouts this season. The staff’s FIP stands at 3.94, and they have walked 339 batters.
Cleveland’s bullpen has faced runners in scoring position 99 times, displaying proficiency with 126 high-leverage appearances. Their relievers have achieved 85 holds, leading the league, with a save percentage of 78.6% across 128 save situations. This year, they have secured 33 saves, albeit with 9 blown saves out of 42 chances. The bullpen has inherited 153 runners, with 24.2% crossing home plate. In total, the Guardians have called upon 348 relievers this season.
When it comes to fielding, the Guardians have converted 69.7% of balls in play into outs over 8,214 innings, ranking them 20th in MLB. They have recorded 2,738 putouts, 813 assists, and 54 errors, resulting in a fielding percentage of .985, which places them 18th in the league. They have executed 70 double plays so far this season.
Joey Cantillo, with a career record of 15-12, holds a FIP of 3.66 and has faced 1,019 batters in the majors. He has allowed 212 hits (8.0 hits per 9 innings) and has issued 109 walks. His earned run average is 3.71 (99 earned runs) with a WHIP of 1.338, having pitched 240 innings and racked up 264 strikeouts during his MLB journey.
The Rays enjoy a slugging percentage of .404, averaging 4.53 runs per game (13th in MLB). They have hit 145 doubles, drawn 349 walks, and accumulated 458 runs. While Tampa Bay has hit 103 home runs this season and netted 434 RBIs, they have also been struck out 724 times, ranking them 30th in the league with 881 total hits. Their on-base percentage stands at .334, coupled with a batting average of .261 this season.
On the pitching side, the Rays have allowed 426 runs with a team ERA of 3.84 (383 earned runs given up), yielding 128 home runs while permitting 4.27 runs per 9 innings, placing them 9th in MLB. Their WHIP is 1.174 and their FIP is 4.18. With an impressive K/BB ratio of 8.10 (805 strikeouts to 268 walks), they rank 6th in MLB for total hits allowed at 786.
The Tampa Bay bullpen has inherited 119 runners, with a scoring percentage of 29.4%. Their relievers have appeared in high-pressure situations 96 times and have had runners on base in 82 appearances. Out of 129 save opportunities, the Rays have notched 77 holds and experienced 14 blown saves, leading to a save percentage of 73.1%, while deploying 320 relievers this season.
Defensively, the Rays have recorded 68 double plays and possess a fielding percentage of .983, ranking 23rd in the league. They have achieved 812 assists, made 62 errors, and logged 2,694 putouts this year. Over 8,082 innings played, Tampa Bay boasts a defensive efficiency of 71.9% (2nd in the majors).
Shane McClanahan, with a career record of 41-22, holds an impressive 3.05 earned run average and permits 7.4 hits per nine innings. His K/BB ratio stands at 3.68 after facing 2,005 batters, allowing 168 earned runs while maintaining a WHIP of 1.115 and a FIP of 3.0. Over his career, McClanahan has surrendered 405 hits while achieving 541 strikeouts across 495 innings pitched.
Who will emerge victorious in tonight’s MLB showdown, whether against the spread or the moneyline?
Recommendation: Back Tampa Bay (-160)
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