Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cleveland Guardians Picks and Prediction for Saturday, July 18, 2026
Use Code WWWC The Pittsburgh Pirates visit the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday at 4:10 PM ET at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. Pittsburgh is 50-47 and sits fourth in the NL Central after winning three straight games before the All-Star break. Cleveland is 51-46 and tied for first in the AL Central after winning four consecutive games. ESPN's matchup predictor gives the Pirates a slight edge entering Saturday's contest. Be a winner with our free MLB picks.
Pittsburgh Pirates Looking to Stay Hot
The Pirates are batting .263 with 516 runs, 886 hits, 125 home runs, a .342 on-base percentage, and a .426 slugging percentage. Brandon Lowe leads the club with 21 home runs and 64 RBIs, while Nick Gonzales is batting .308 with a team-high 104 hits. Bryan Reynolds owns a .400 on-base percentage with 14 home runs, Ryan O'Hearn has added 16 home runs, and Oneil Cruz has contributed 14 home runs and 21 stolen bases. Pittsburgh ranks first in MLB in team batting average and has consistently produced offense throughout the season.
Pittsburgh's pitching staff owns a 4.32 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP while holding opponents to a .239 batting average. The Pirates have recorded 883 strikeouts and 32 quality starts through 97 games. Braxton Ashcraft has helped anchor the rotation, while the staff has limited opposing hitters despite pitching in several high-scoring games this season.
Injuries: Endy Rodriguez, Wilber Dotel, Evan Sisk, Chris Devenski, Spencer Horwitz.
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Cleveland Guardians Looking to Extend Their Winning Streak
Cleveland is batting .229 with 385 runs, 732 hits, 93 home runs, a .310 on-base percentage, and a .369 slugging percentage. Chase DeLauter leads the lineup with a .278 batting average and 46 RBIs, while Brayan Rocchio has collected a team-high 88 hits. Angel Martinez has hit 11 home runs, and Jose Ramirez has added 10 home runs with 24 stolen bases despite missing time. The Guardians rank near the bottom of MLB in batting average but have found enough timely offense during their four-game winning streak.
The Guardians have been carried by their pitching staff, posting a 3.71 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP while limiting opponents to a .237 batting average. Cleveland pitchers have recorded 870 strikeouts and 34 quality starts this season. That combination has helped keep the Guardians tied for first place in the AL Central entering this series.
Injuries: Tim Herrin, Jose Ramirez, Angel Martinez.
Pitching Matchup
Pittsburgh Pirates – Braxton Ashcraft
Ashcraft is 9-3 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP across 113.1 innings. He has allowed 99 hits, 14 home runs, and 27 walks while striking out 128 batters. Ashcraft has been one of Pittsburgh's most reliable starters throughout the season.
Cleveland Guardians – Joey Cantillo
Cantillo is 8-4 with a 3.56 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP over 101.0 innings. He has allowed 92 hits and 12 home runs while striking out 105 batters against 49 walks. Cantillo has delivered solid results, although limiting walks will be important against Pittsburgh's productive lineup.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cleveland Guardians Game Pick
- Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh has the edge with the more productive offense and a slight advantage on the mound behind Ashcraft. The Pirates also enter the series after winning three straight games and rank first in MLB in team batting average. Ashcraft's strong season gives Pittsburgh another advantage against a Cleveland lineup that has struggled for consistent production. The Pirates have been one of the league's best-hitting teams all season, making them the better value in this matchup.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cleveland Guardians Over/Under Pick
- Under
Both starting pitchers have ERAs below 3.60 and have been dependable throughout the season. Cleveland's pitching staff ranks eighth in MLB with a 3.71 ERA, while Pittsburgh has limited opponents to a .239 batting average. With two quality starters taking the mound, this matchup has the ingredients for a lower-scoring game. Neither lineup ranks among the league leaders in home runs, which helps the under cash in this matchup.
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