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We're back with another betting prediction and pick for Monday's MLB slate as we turn towards the American League Central for this upcoming divisional series. The Minnesota Twins will take on the Cleveland Guardians for the first time this season as the two squads jockey for position. It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Twins-Guardians prediction and pick.
Twins-Guardians Projected Starters
Bailey Ober (RHP) vs. Gavin Williams (RHP)
Bailey Ober (2-1) with a 5.04 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 23 K, 25.0 IP
Last Start: (W) vs. CHW – 6.0 IP, 6 K, 1 ER
Away Splits: (0-1) with a 9.35 ERA, .333 OBA, 7 K, 8.2 IP
Gavin Williams (2-1) with a 4.15 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 26 K, 26.0 IP
Last Start: (W) vs. NYY – 6.1 IP, 8 K, 2 ER
Home Splits: (2-0) with a 2.38 ERA, .244 OBA, 15 K, 11.1 IP
Here are the MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Twins-Guardians Odds
Minnesota Twins: +1.5 (-205)
Moneyline: +102
Cleveland Guardians: -1.5 (+168)
Moneyline: -120
Over: 8 (-110)
Under: 8 (-110)
How to Watch Twins vs. Guardians
Time: 6:10 p.m. ET/ 3:10 p.m. PT
TV: Fox Sports West, MLB.TV
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why The Twins Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Minnesota Twins are currently fourth in the AL Central race, winning two of three against the Los Angeles Angels and finishing their home stand before hitting the road to Cleveland. They've won six of their last 10 games and have gotten hot with four wins over their last five games. In their recent 5-1 win over the Angels, they matched a season-high 15 hits and are firing on all cylinders from the batter's box.
Byron Buxton is leading this team in average (.237), home runs (6), and RBI (15) while remaining the cornerstone of their efforts in the outfield. While their efforts in the field have been solid, this recent hot stretch from their bats wasn't the case through the start of the season as they continue to rank in the bottom third of most batting categories. This team will look to win on the base paths as they try to get on base as they look to improve their stealing numbers.
Bailey Ober will get the start in this game and he's been far from perfect on the road this season. His 9.35 ERA is certainly worrisome and opposing teams are hitting .333 off him. While he's only seen two starts thus far, he'll want to dial things in as they embark on this upcoming road trip. Still, a win in this series would bode well for their confidence against a favorite team in the division.
Why The Guardians Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Cleveland Guardians are currently second in the AL Central, trailing the leading Detroit Tigers by one and a half games. They'll close their 1-1 series against the Boston Red Sox before welcoming the Twins into town, then hitting the road for an extended stay. They've gone 6-4 over their last 10 games and managed a five-game winning streak during that stretch, so they'll be hoping to close the gap on the Tigers by kicking off this divisional series with a few wins.
Steven Kwan has emerged as a reliable bat for the Guardians early into the season as he's done a great job hitting into the gaps for extra-base hits. While their offense doesn't jump out as particularly dangerous or explosive, they've been consistent in getting good contact on the base ball and forcing tough plays for the infield. This certainly isn't the powerhouse Cleveland team we're used to seeing with Jose Ramirez still finding his footing this season, but they're bound to find their mid-season form soon and make this a tough division for the Detroit Tigers to steal.
Gavin Williams will be looking to remain perfect at home this season where he's felt much more comfortable pitching than on the road. The Guardians have won three games over his last four starts and he punched out eight batters during his last one, so expect him to continue working around the zone against this hot-hitting Twins team.
Final Twins-Guardians Prediction & Pick
The Minnesota Twins have gotten hot over the last five games and while neither of these teams stand out with their batting, the Twins are certainly playing better baseball from there at the moment. Jose Ramirez is still looking to find his footing, batting just .186 at home so far this season, but the Guardians are certainly the better team on paper and will find their form soon enough.
For this game, however, we're going to side with the Minnesota Twins to earn the win as the betting underdogs. While Bailey Ober has struggled on the road, I think this Twins bullpen will rally behind him late in the game and push them over in a close win.
Final Twins-Guardians Prediction & Pick: Twins ML (+102)
