The Cleveland Guardians vs Yankees Game Preview (33–27) and New York Yankees (37–23) square off in the rubber match of their three-game series at Yankee Stadium tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET and will air on MLB Network .
The Yankees look to avoid a series sweep after dropping a surprising 4–0 decision to the Guardians last night. Let’s break down everything you need to know — from projected lineups and starting pitchers to betting odds and our best game predictions.
Series Recap: Guardians Lead 3–2 After Wednesday Upset
Cleveland came out swinging in the middle game of this set, riding strong pitching and timely hitting to take control of the series. Right-hander Luis Ortiz was lights-out for the Guardians, tossing 5⅔ scoreless innings with 7 strikeouts on just 92 pitches.
Behind him, the bullpen locked things down with 3⅓ innings of shutout ball, allowing only two hits. Offensively, Jose Ramirez continued his dominance over Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt, while Daniel Schneemann went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI.
New York struggled mightily at the plate, managing just four singles and one double — all against a pitcher making his first start against them. The offense was led by Aaron Judge and Ben Rice , each collecting two hits, but big names like Jazz Chisholm Jr. struck out three times.
The Under continues to trend heavily for both teams — it’s gone 4–1 in Guardians’ last five games , and 8–1 in Yankees’ last nine home games .
Projected Starters: Cecconi vs. Fried
Tonight’s matchup features a pair of contrasting arms taking the hill.
RHP Slade Cecconi (1–1, 5.28 ERA) – Guardians
Last outing: 4⅓ IP, 5 ER, 7 H (3 HR), 3 BB, 3 K vs. Angels
Road stats: 1–1, 3.27 ERA in 11 IP
Career vs. Yankees: 1 relief appearance, 2⅔ IP, 1 ER
Cecconi has been inconsistent this season, showing flashes of brilliance but also struggling with command and hard contact. He gave up three homers in his last start, which is concerning facing a power-laden Yankees lineup.
- LHP Max Fried (7–1, 1.92 ERA) – Yankees
- Last outing: 5 IP, 6 ER, 8 H (2 HR), 0 BB, 3 K vs. Dodgers
- Home stats: 3–0, 1.69 ERA in 37⅓ IP
- Career vs. Guardians: 1 start, 6⅓ IP, 2 ER
Fried had an uncharacteristically rough outing last time out, giving up eight hits and six runs. However, he’s been dominant at home and should benefit from the short porch at Yankee Stadium — especially if he can keep the ball low and limit walks.
Game Prediction: Yankees 6, Guardians 1
Despite the Yankees’ loss last night, this feels like a bounce-back spot for Max Fried. While his most recent outing wasn’t great, that was on the road in Dodger Stadium — a tough environment for any pitcher.
At home, Fried has been nearly unhittable, posting a 1.69 ERA over 37⅓ innings. The Guardians are coming off a high-energy win, but tonight could be a letdown — especially against a team like New York that doesn’t like to lose back-to-back at home.
Cecconi has shown promise, but he’s still young and prone to mistakes. If he leaves the ball up early, expect the Yankees to capitalize.
Top Bets for Tonight
Yankees -1.5 (-130)
Better value than the moneyline, and Fried is due for a rebound.
Under 8.5 (-115)
Both starters have been stingy with runs, and the Under has crushed at Yankee Stadium this season.
This series has been competitive, but the Yankees have too much firepower to stay down for long. With Fried on the mound and the Guardians likely to cool off offensively, expect a bounce-back performance from New York.
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