Game: Cleveland Guardians vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Date: Friday, September 20, 2024

Location: Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

The Cleveland Guardians (88-65) travel to Busch Stadium on Friday, where they will try to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals (77-75). Ben Lively and Kyle Gibson will serve as starting pitchers.

Cleveland has a slugging percentage of .394 and has 1,135 strikeouts while allowing 445 walks. They have 640 RBIs and 1,202 base hits this year while batting average is .238. As a unit, the Guardians have two-baggered 233 players and hit 174 balls out of the park. They have scored 678 runs and hold a team OBP of .308. As a team, the Cleveland Guardians score 4.4 runs per game, which ranks 14th in the league.

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Their strikeout-to-walk ratio is 2.89 and the pitchers have posted a combined WHIP of 1.20. Guardians pitchers have allowed 175 home runs and 598 total runs (3rd in the league). Cleveland has allowed 1,169 base hits (7.8 per 9 innings) and 557 earned runs. The Guardians have a team ERA of 3.69 this season (5th in baseball) and have struck out 1,340 hitters. They have grounded out 463 opposing players via walks and their FIP as a unit this year is 4.02.

The Guardians have sent 561 relief pitchers to the mound over the course of the season. The relief pitchers have taken on 226 runners so far this year and 26.5% of those players have crossed the plate. They have earned 51 saves so far this season and blown 15 of 66 save opportunities. The Guardians’ relief pitchers have posted a save percentage of 77.3% and have entered the game in 186 save situations. The bullpen has a total of 118 holds this year (1st in the league). The Guardians’ bullpen pitchers have gone to the mound with players on base 161 times and have had 193 appearances in high-pressure situations.

The Cleveland Guardians have 4,071 putouts, 1,302 assists and 78 errors this season. Their fielding percentage is .986, which ranks 12th in the major leagues, and they have made 119 double plays. The Guardians have turned 70.9% of balls in play into outs in their 12,213 innings, which ranks 4th in the MLB.

Lively has carried the ball for 351 innings and has 271 punch outs in his MLB career. Lively (career record 20-26) has a FIP of 4.50 while facing 1,496 batters in the Major Leagues. His ERA is 4.57 (178 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.337. He has allowed 361 base knocks (9.3 hits per 9 innings) and has 108 walks.

St. Louis has hit 156 total home runs and has 593 RBIs this season. They have hit 234 two-baggers, issued 443 walks and scored 624 runs. The St. Louis Cardinals have a team OBP of .310 and a batting average of .246 this season. The Cardinals have a slugging percentage of .389 and are scoring 4.11 runs per game (24th in the league). They have 1,236 strikeouts (21st in the league) and have 1,271 base hits.

The Cardinals have a team WHIP of 1.260 and a FIP of 3.96 as a pitching team over the course of the season. They currently rank 22nd in baseball with 1,277 total hits allowed. St. Louis’ pitching staff has allowed 680 runs so far this season and holds a 4.06 ERA (612 earned runs allowed). Their strikeout-to-walk ratio is 8.20 (1,238 strikeouts vs. 432 walks). They have allowed 164 home runs and are giving up 4.51 runs per 9 innings (18th in the league).

In 173 save situations, the Cardinals have made 96 holds and 26 blown saves. St. Louis has had bullpen pitchers take the mound in 77 save opportunities, and they have made 51 saves. Their relievers have taken the mound 171 times in high-pressure situations and 154 times with runners on the field. St. Louis’ relievers have a 36.6% taken score percentage out of 213 baserunners taken. They currently rank 9th in baseball with a 66.2% save percentage and have sent 478 bullpen pitchers to the field this year.

The St. Louis Cardinals have turned 142 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .988 (4th in professional baseball). The Cardinals have recorded 1,411 assists and 69 errors and have totaled 4,068 putouts this year. In their 12,204 innings on the field, the Cardinals have a defensive efficiency of 69.6% (17th in professional baseball).

In his career so far, Gibson has allowed 1,897 hits and has 1,503 punch outs in 1,855 innings pitched. Gibson (112-107 career win-loss record) has a 4.51 ERA and has allowed 9.2 hits per nine innings. He has allowed 929 earned runs and has a 1.374 WHIP and a 4.4 FIP. His K/BB ratio is 2.31 and he has faced 7,949 batters in his MLB career.

Who will win today’s MLB game against the spread or the moneyline?

Josh Schonwald’s tip: Take St. Louis

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