Athletics vs Cleveland Guardians Picks and Prediction for Sunday, September 20, 2026

The Athletics and Cleveland Guardians meet Sunday at Progressive Field, with the opening pitch scheduled for 1:40 PM ET and the game televised on MLB.TV. The Athletics are 61-93, fourth in the AL West and 16 games behind first-place Houston and Texas, with eight games remaining. Athletics have been eliminated from playoff contention after Friday’s 5-3 loss to Cleveland extended their losing streak to four games. Cleveland is 79-75, first in the AL Central and one game ahead of Chicago, with eight games remaining. The Guardians have won three straight after Friday’s victory. Let’s break down the matchup with our free MLB picks.

Athletics Trying to Stop a Four-Game Slide

The Athletics have dropped four straight and four of their last five, with three of those defeats coming by two runs or fewer. Friday’s 5-3 loss at Cleveland followed a three-game sweep at Tampa Bay. Shea Langeliers leads the active power hitters with 23 home runs while batting .263 with 55 RBI and a .487 slugging percentage. Tyler Soderstrom is batting .245 with 19 homers, 56 RBI and a .338 on-base percentage. Jeff McNeil leads the club with a .268 average and 121 hits, while Henry Bolte is batting .274 with 21 stolen bases.

The Athletics are batting .244 with 664 runs, 1,270 hits and 187 home runs, along with a .316 on-base percentage and .401 slugging percentage. The club ranks 13th in MLB batting, but pitching remains a major weakness. Athletics pitchers rank 29th with a 5.41 ERA and 1.50 WHIP, while opponents are batting .270. The staff has allowed 226 home runs and issued 602 walks. Defensively, the Athletics rank 13th with 74 errors and a .986 fielding percentage. Their 32-47 road record adds another concern in Cleveland.

Injuries: Joshua Kuroda-Grauer (out), J.T. Ginn (out), Brent Rooker (out), Nick Kurtz (out), Gage Jump (out).

Cleveland Guardians Building a Late Winning Streak

Cleveland has won four of its last five and three straight, including Friday’s 5-3 victory over the Athletics. Chase DeLauter leads the regular lineup with a .289 average and .452 slugging percentage while collecting 14 home runs and 62 RBI. Steven Kwan is batting .275 with a .376 on-base percentage and 141 hits. Brayan Rocchio has 13 home runs, 69 RBI and 20 stolen bases, while Jose Ramirez has 12 homers, 51 RBI and a team-high 34 stolen bases. Travis Bazzana has added 15 home runs and 57 RBI.

The Guardians are batting .237 with 636 runs, 1,216 hits and 149 home runs, along with a .315 on-base percentage and .375 slugging percentage. Cleveland ranks 24th in MLB batting, leaving the pitching staff as the club’s bigger strength. Guardians pitchers rank eighth with a 3.79 ERA and 1.26 WHIP while holding opponents to a .236 average. Cleveland has recorded 1,459 strikeouts and allowed 167 home runs. The Guardians rank 16th defensively with 80 errors and a .985 fielding percentage and are 39-40 at Progressive Field.

Injuries: Angel Martinez (questionable), Colin Holderman (out), Rhys Hoskins (out), Shawn Armstrong (out).

Pitching Matchup

Athletics - Jack Perkins

Jack Perkins is 3-11 with a 6.14 ERA and 1.48 WHIP over 110 innings. The right-hander has allowed 115 hits and 20 home runs while recording 127 strikeouts against 48 walks.

Cleveland Guardians - Gavin Williams

Gavin Williams is 13-8 with a 3.78 ERA and 1.10 WHIP across 174 innings. The right-hander has allowed 136 hits, struck out 235 batters and walked 56 while surrendering 27 home runs.

Athletics vs Cleveland Guardians Game Pick

• Cleveland Guardians

Cleveland is the pick with a sizable starting-pitching advantage and a stronger staff behind Williams. Williams owns a 3.78 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with 235 strikeouts, while Perkins has a 6.14 ERA and 1.48 WHIP. The Guardians also rank eighth in MLB pitching compared with 29th for the Athletics. Cleveland has won three straight and four of five, while the Athletics have lost four in a row. The Guardians are also protecting a one-game AL Central lead, making every remaining result important in the division race.

Athletics vs Cleveland Guardians Over/Under Pick

• Over

The play is over with Perkins facing a Cleveland lineup that has scored 27 runs across its last five games. Perkins has a 6.14 ERA, and the Athletics pitching staff carries a 5.41 ERA with a .270 opponent batting average. Cleveland has scored at least five runs in four straight contests. The Athletics also have enough power to contribute, with 187 home runs and a .401 slugging percentage. Williams has strong season numbers, but Athletics hitters have produced three or more runs in three of their last five games.