The 76-58 Cleveland Guardians hold a slim 1½ game lead over the Kansas City Royals for the top spot in the AL Central, so they have to take care of business this weekend when they open a 3-game set with the 62-71 Pittsburgh Pirates tonight at Progressive Field. Tonight’s expected starters are Ben Lively for Cleveland and Bailey Falter for Pittsburgh. Falter is 6-7 with a 4.25 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, and over his last three starts his ERA has soared to 6.75 with a 1.77 WHIP. Lively has pitched well, with an 11-8 record, a 3.62 ERA, and a 1.19 WHIP. The Guardians are also 7-0 in Lively’s last 7 home starts against a team with a losing record and have the edge in runs scored, run differential, batting average, and home runs.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CLEVELAND GUARDIANS