The Minnesota Twins will meet the Cleveland Guardians for Game 1 of a day-night doubleheader with plenty on the line. It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Twins-Guardians prediction and pick.

The Guardians defeated the Twins 4-3 on Friday night to increase their division lead to five games with 19 left to play in the season. Now, they play a doubleheader today that could impact the standings the rest of the way. Cleveland leads the season series 10-5 and has won six in a row in the head-to-head.

The Twins started hot when Jose Miranda doubled to left in the third, giving the Twins a 1-0 lead. Then, Minnesota struck again in the fourth when Jake Cove slugged a two-run shot to right for a home run, making it 3-0 Twins. Things were stale for the Guardians until the seventh when they entered the inning trailing 3-1. Ultimately, Amed Rosario singled to left, driving in two and tying the game at 3-3. The Guardians took the lead in the eighth when Ernie Clement scored on a wild pitch. It would be enough to win.

Louie Varland will be on the mound for the Twins today. He is 0-0 with a 3.38 ERA. Recently, he tossed 5 1/3 innings while allowing two earned runs on three hits, including seven strikeouts and one walk. Varland is an exciting prospect who is excited at the chance to deliver but must keep the ball in the yard. 

Shane Bieber takes the mound for the Guardians. Bieber is 10-08 with a 2.91 ERA. Recently, he tossed 6 1/3 innings while allowing one earned run on hits. Bieber is 2-1 with a 2.11 ERA in September and has thrown at least six innings in each start. Also, he is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA over three starts against Minnesota this season. 

Here are the Twins-Guardians MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Twins-Guardians Odds

Minnesota Twins: +1.5 (-140)

Cleveland Guardians: -1.5 (+116)

Over: 7.5 (-106)

Under: 7.5 (-114)

Why The Twins Could Cover The Spread

The Twins are watching their season disappear. However, they could change that narrative with two wins today. They certainly have the tools on offense to accomplish this. 

Jose Miranda is hitting .276 with 15 home runs, 64 RBIs, and 38 runs. Additionally, he is batting .293 (12 for 41) with one home run, six RBIs, and one run through 12 games against the Guardians. Carlos Correa is batting .283 with 21 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 63 runs. Also, he is tearing it up against Cleveland, batting .400 (18 for 45) with five home runs, 10 RBIs, and nine runs over 12 games against the Twins. 

The Twins have the hitters, but they must pitch well to have a chance. Yesterday, their starters did well but did not have the same assistance from the bullpen. They could not hold a 3-1 lead and ultimately lost to the Guardians. 

The Twins will cover the spread if Miranda, Correa, and the lineup get things rolling. Moreover, they must build a large enough lead to feel comfortable. The bullpen has to manage the game better and not let this showdown get out of hand. 

Why The Guardians Could Cover The Spread

The Guardians are getting closer to completing a division title. Now, they have to finish the job and use the offensive tools they have to execute. 

Jose Ramirez is batting .280 with 27 home runs, 111 RBIs, and 79 runs this year. Additionally, he is hitting .271 (16 for 59) with one home run, four RBIs, and nine runs over 15 games against the Twins. Josh Naylor is hitting0 .258 with 17 home runs, 66 RBIs, and 39 runs. Ultimately, he is batting .256 (11 for 43) with two home runs, nine RBIs, and six runs over 10 games. Neither player did much last night, and the Guardians did not cover the spread. 

The Guardians are averaging 4.4 runs in the head-to-head matchup against the Twins, while Minnesota has averaged five runs. Despite the Guardians leading the series, Minnesota has scored more runs. The Guardians have to pick up the pace offensively to have a chance of covering the odds. 

The Guardians will cover the spread if Bieber pitches well and the offense backs him up. Subsequently, they should score early in the game and put pressure on the rookie to have a chance of covering without incident. 

Final Twins-Guardians Prediction & Pick

It will be the first game of the day. Ultimately, the Guardians have the better squad and will do all in their power to prove that. Bieber is an ace and one of the better pitchers in baseball. Now, his offense must give him run support. Expect Ramirez, Naylor, and the rest of the Cleveland offense to pick things up and back up their ace today. The Guardians will cover the spread in the first game of the doubleheader.  

Final Twins-Guardians Prediction & Pick: Cleveland Guardians: -1.5 (+116)