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The Baltimore Orioles and the Cleveland Guardians will go head-to-head on the diamond in a matchup with major playoff implications on Tuesday! It is time to check out our MLB odds series, where our Orioles-Guardians prediction and pick will be made.
Who would've expected the Orioles to be smack dab in the middle of an AL playoff race at the conclusion of August? Not many. With a record of 67-60, Baltimore sits right outside the final Wild Card slot in the American League trailing the Blue Jays by two games. On the mound in this Tuesday evening matchup versus the division-leading Guardians will be the 30-year-old from Phoenix, Arizona in Spencer Watkins, who is an even 4-4 to go along with a 3.96 ERA in his 17 starts on the season.
Losers in three of their previous four, the Guardians will attempt to turn the ship around before they squander their AL Central lead. Currently 1.5 games ahead of the Twins in first place, every game from here on out is as important of any games that Cleveland has played all year long. Responsible for getting the troops off on the right foot will be RHP Cal Quantrill, who has compiled an impressive 10-5 record while posting a 3.59 ERA in 24 overall starts on the season.
Here are the Orioles-Guardians MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Orioles-Guardians Odds
Baltimore Orioles: +1.5 (-160)
Cleveland Guardians: -1.5 (+132)
Over: 8 (-115)
Under: 8 (-105)
Why The Orioles Could Cover The Spread
After recording 100-loss seasons in 2018, 2019, and 2020, few could expect what the Orioles have been able to accomplish during the 2022 regular season. Hands down one of the most improved teams in all of baseball, the O's have relied on a lethal dosage of balance from inside the batter's box and even from the rubber.
In their series win versus the Astros last weekend, it was the starting pitching that left Houston speechless. In fact, Baltimore starters have recorded a quality start in five straight games which eventually led to a sparkling 1.30 ERA during that stretch. On the season, the O's possess the 13th-best ERA at 3.84 while also posting a 1.28 WHIP. In comparison, the offense has also held their own by scoring a total of 539 runs on the season, which would rank as the 19th most in the majors. With a .391 slugging percentage, there's no doubting that the Orioles can strike some fear into opposing pitching during the rest of the regular season.
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Most importantly, the biggest name to keep an eye out on will be starter Spencer Watkins, who is fresh off of a six-inning quality start in only surrendering two runs on five hits. If Watkins can have a repeat of his last start, then there's no question that the Orioles will have an opportunity to cover the spread.
Why The Guardians Could Cover The Spread
Time to pop the popcorn! Buckle up, because just like it's been for the majority of the year, the AL Central race is coming down to the wire. While the Guardians, Twins, and even the White Sox have sniffed the throne of the division, it is currently Cleveland that has a sole grip on the top spot. However, after the Twins' recent winning surge and a mini-slump from the Guardians that has resulted in them losing three of four games, this division is surely up for grabs as we enter the final month of regular season play.
With major implications on the line, the Guardians cannot afford to be lackluster on Tuesday. To begin, Cleveland must figure out a way to get off to a hot start against an O's squad that has been close to un-hittable over the past week of play. At first glance, Cleveland is a team that has the ability to score in a hurry. On the season, the Guardians have hit their way to the tenth-best batting average in the league with a .250 mark and have also posted respectable hitting numbers throughout. While this certainly wasn't the case against the Mariners in their last series finale by getting blanked 4-0, this lineup is due for a breakout game.
Pitching-wise, this is a group that possesses some of the top arms in all of the sport. In almost every statistical category, the Guardians rank in the top ten in team ERA, quality starts, WHIP, and even batting average against. Simply put, this is where the Guardians conduct their magic. With Cal Quantrill on the bump, Cleveland has a tremendous shot to earn a much-needed win. In 32 innings pitched this month, Quantrill is 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA.
Final Orioles-Guardians Prediction & Pick
Both sides are well within the hunt of the playoff picture, but only one will stand victorious by the end of Tuesday. With this matchup appearing to be close on paper, it is important to take a close look at the pitching matchup. It would be wise to put your faith in the O's covering the +1.5 spread rather than the Guardians winning by -1.5, as Baltimore has been playing too well of late to bet against them.
Final Orioles-Guardians Prediction & Pick: Orioles +1.5 (-160)
