Jul 26, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Ben Lively (39) throws a pitch during the second inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
- The Arizona Diamondbacks and Cleveland Guardians are set to face off in a doubleheader Wednesday afternoon at 1:10 and appx. 4:10 ET Wednesday.
- The Diamondbacks took Game 1 of the series in a thrilling 7-6 battle. The home team looks to right the ship Wednesday.
- See the probable pitchers, odds and a prediction for Wednesday’s games below.
We’re in for treat Wednesday afternoon. The Arizona Diamondbacks and Cleveland Guardians will play twice Wednesday after their Game 2 was postponed due to rain Tuesday night.
The Guardians and Diamondbacks have been 2 of the best teams in baseball across the past few weeks. Cleveland has won 6 of their last 10 while the Diamondbacks have won 8 of their last 10. The Diamondbacks are gunning for their 7th straight series win Wednesday.
Keep scrolling for a look at the odds, as well as a look at the starting pitchers and a prediction for Wednesday’s doubleheader.
Diamondbacks vs. Guardians Odds
| Team | Runline | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Diamondbacks | -1.5 (+165) | -105 | O 7.5 (-110) |
| Cleveland Guardians | +1.5 (-200) | -115 | U 7.5 (-110) |
Odds above via Fanatics Sportsbook. Check out our Fanatics Sportsbook Promo Code for a look at one of the best welcome offers in the business.Â
The Diamondbacks are considered runline favorites for Wednesday’s Game 1 according to Fanatics, sitting at +165 to win by 2 or more runs and -105 to win straight up. Betting Guardians to keep the game within a run sits at -200 while betting Guardians straight up sits at -115 odds.
The Over/Under for this matchup sits at 7.5 with Fanatics predicting a pitcher-dominated contest between Brandon Pfaadt and Ben Lively. The odds are square at -110 for each. Game 1 in this series went well over this total, finishing 7-6 in favor of Arizona.
Diamondbacks vs. Guardians Pitching Matchup
Brandon Pfaadt vs. Ben Lively
| 5-6 | Record | 10-6 |
| 3.97 | ERA | 90 |
| 118 | K | 6 |
| 1.13 | WHIP | 1.15 |
| 131.1 | IP | 105.1 |
Today’s pitching matchup pits Arizona’s Brandon Pfaadt vs. Cleveland’s Ben Lively. Game 3 is expected to be a battle between Arizona’s Eduardo Rodriguez and Cleveland’s Carlos Carrasco.
At first glance, Pfaadt and Lively are 2 very similar pitchers in terms of output. Their WHIP is almost identical, they have similar K/9 numbers and similar ERAs. Lively, however, has the advantage tonight with more major league experience, a home field crowd at his back and a better record on the season at 10-6.
Lively very rarely allows more than 3 earned runs in a game. He’s done it just twice this season compared to Pfaadt’s 7 instances. Lively forces more fly balls while Pfaadt forces more ground balls. The latter has slightly better strikeout numbers.
But there’s a catch. Lively has struggled against this Diamondbacks lineup throughout his career, with batters hitting .324 against him across 34 at-bats. Pfaadt, in turn, has faced the Guardians significantly less with only 4 at-bats combined against Austin Hedges and Lane Thomas.
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Cleveland Guardians Prediction
- ARI vs. CLE pick: Guardians +1.5 (-200)
This is the lame and scared pick, but it’s also likely the safest between 2 teams that just played an excellent Game 1 and have equal odds to take home the win. Here’s why I went with the Guardians.
For one, they get Arizona at home. It didn’t matter on Monday, but the No. 1 team record in baseball just simply does not lose at home very much. When you add that the Guardians are throwing the more experienced pitcher and are playing for their series, this pick becomes that much easier.
Lively’s history against this Diamondbacks lineup is slightly worrying but remember that Lively is in the middle of what has probably been his best season in baseball. He’s had a strong last few outings and I bet his hot streak continues.
Ethan Stone was an editor for his student newspaper at the University of Tennessee and is now a News Manager for Saturday Down South and contributor with SBD!