- Matchup: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Cleveland Guardians
- Date: Saturday, July 18, 2026
- Venue: Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH
- Broadcast: MLB.TV
- Betting Odds: Pittsburgh (-196) Cleveland (+162)
This page may include affiliate links at no extra cost to you, thanks for your support.
The Cleveland Guardians (51-46) will take on the Pittsburgh Pirates (50-47) at Progressive Field this Saturday. The odds indicate Pittsburgh at -196 and Cleveland at +162, with a total set at 9 runs. Braxton Ashcraft and Joey Cantillo are slated to start on the mound.
The Pirates have amassed 154 doubles and 125 home runs this season. Their slugging percentage stands at .426, with 907 strikeouts and 363 walks recorded. The Pittsburgh Pirates rank 1st in the league, averaging 5.3 runs per game, totaling 495 RBIs and 886 hits with a batting average of .263. Their on-base percentage sits at .342, leading to 516 total runs scored.
Pittsburgh’s pitching staff has a K/BB ratio of 2.49 and a WHIP of 1.32. To date, they have allowed 103 home runs and yielded a total of 472 runs, ranking 23rd in MLB. The team has also given up 787 hits at a rate of 8.2 per 9 innings and has registered 416 earned runs. The Pirates’ team ERA is 4.32, placing them 20th in the league, with 883 strikeouts. Their pitchers have issued 355 walks, resulting in a FIP of 4.03 this season.
Pirates pitchers have faced runners on base 88 times and participated in 89 high-leverage situations. Their bullpen has achieved 45 holds thus far, ranking 22nd in the league. The Pirates have a save percentage of 52.8% from 82 save situations this season, recording 19 saves while failing to convert 17. Through the year, they have dispatched 310 relievers to the mound.
Pittsburgh’s defense ranks 23rd in MLB, converting 69.2% of balls in play into outs over 7,800 innings. The team has recorded 2,600 putouts, 765 assists, and 57 errors, leading to a fielding percentage of .983 and 74 double plays.
Ashcraft has pitched 182 innings, striking out 199 batters in his MLB career. With a career record of 13-7, he holds a FIP of 3.16 and has faced 753 hitters in the majors. His earned run average is 3.21 (65 ERs allowed), with a WHIP of 1.168 and 162 hits allowed at an 8.0 hits per nine innings rate, alongside 51 walks.
The Guardians have tallied 93 home runs and 368 RBIs this season, recording 147 doubles and 353 walks, leading to 385 runs scored. They hold a team OBP of .310 and a batting average of .229. Cleveland’s slugging percentage is .369, with an average of 3.97 runs per game, ranking 29th in MLB. The team has struck out 810 times (12th) and accumulated 732 base hits.
Cleveland’s pitching statistics show a team WHIP of 1.262 and a FIP of 3.97. They maintain a K/BB ratio of 9.10 (870 strikeouts to 321 walks) and rank 10th in the league for hits allowed with 762. The Guardians have allowed 110 home runs and yield 4.06 runs per 9 innings (7th in MLB), with 387 runs surrendered this year and a team ERA of 3.71.
With 125 save situations this season, the Guardians have achieved 83 holds and 9 blown saves. They have relied on their relief pitchers in 41 save chances, successfully converting 32. Cleveland relief pitchers have inherited runners in 123 situations with a low inherited scoring rate of 23.9% out of 142. They rank 2nd in the league for save percentage at 78.0%, sending 326 relievers to the mound.
The Guardians have turned 66 double plays, boasting a fielding rate of .986 (14th in MLB). They have notched 776 assists, committed 47 errors, and registered 2,576 putouts in 7,728 innings, leading to a defensive efficiency rate of 70.1% (15th overall).
Joey Cantillo has allowed 205 hits and recorded 257 strikeouts over 235 innings pitched in his MLB career. He has surrendered 95 earned runs, has a WHIP of 1.323, and a FIP of 3.6. His K/BB ratio stands at 2.42, having faced 994 batters. Cantillo holds a career record of 15-11 with a 3.64 earned run average, allowing 7.9 hits per nine innings.
Which team will prevail in tonight’s MLB showdown against the spread or moneyline?
Prediction: Back Cleveland (+162)
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up or make a purchase through them, we may earn a small commission always at no extra cost to you. Thanks for helping us keep this site running.
