Cleveland Guardians @ Pittsburgh Pirates - April 19, 2025

Alright, folks, get your game faces on! We’ve got a showdown at PNC Park that’s going to be electrifying. The Cleveland Guardians are rolling into town to take on our beloved Pittsburgh Pirates, and you know I’ll be rocking my lucky jersey as always!

The buzz is palpable among the fans as they settle into their seats for what promises to be a riveting interleague matchup. The Guardians come in with a solid record of 10-9 overall, but don’t let that fool you; they’ve been hot lately with a 7-3 record in their last ten games. Meanwhile, our Pirates are struggling at 8-13, but let’s not write them off just yet! They’re back at home where they play better ball—4-2 in their last six at PNC.

Now let’s talk pitching because that’s where it gets interesting. On the mound for Cleveland is Ben Lively. He has had his struggles this season with an unfortunate 0-2 record and an ERA hovering around 4.1. But don’t underestimate him; he’s been racking up strikeouts like nobody’s business with over 8 per game. He’ll need every ounce of that talent against a Pirates lineup that’s looking to find its groove.

For the Pirates, we have Paul Skenes taking the rubber today. He boasts a slightly better record at 2-1 and his ERA is just above four as well (4.2). He’s not as dominant on the strikeout front compared to Lively but certainly has the capability of keeping batters guessing if he finds his rhythm early on.

When it comes to offense, this is where I think we’ll see some fireworks tonight! The Guardians have been averaging almost 4 runs per game while hitting around .223—not great but better than what we’ve seen from our Pirates who are scoring about 3.5 runs and batting an abysmal .196. Those numbers have got me feeling anxious, but hey, anything can happen in baseball!

With these teams both coming off their recent matchup where Cleveland edged out Pittsburgh with a wild score of 10-7 (and trust me when I say this was no ordinary game), it’s clear these bats can light up the scoreboard when needed!

Oddsmakers have installed the Pirates as favorites at -182 but looking at how the Guardians performed last time out against us and considering their recent form? I’m leaning towards Cleveland pulling off another victory today—it pains me to say it, but I’m trying to be realistic here!

And let’s talk about those odds: with an Over/Under set at 8 total runs, I’m inclined to believe we’re going OVER once again given both lineups’ ability to produce runs—and let’s face it; sometimes it’s more fun when things get chaotic on the field!

So there you have it! Grab your snacks and drinks because tonight’s game promises plenty of excitement despite my bias for our Buccos! May luck be on our side; Go Bucs!