Cleveland Guardians vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 4/18/2025 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Cleveland Guardians vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Friday, April 18, 2025

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds/Point Spread: Cleveland (-210) Pittsburgh (+172)

The Pittsburgh Pirates (7-12) will try to defeat the Cleveland Guardians (9-8) at PNC Park on Friday. The odds on this game have the Guardians at -210 and the Pirates are priced at +172. The betting total comes in at 9. The starting pitchers are Luis Ortiz and Carmen Mlodzinski.

As a unit, the Cleveland Guardians are notching 3.9 runs per outing, which puts them at 22nd in the league. They have accumulated 66 runs while having a team OBP of .308. The Guardians have hit 17 two-baggers as a unit and have knocked 20 baseballs out of the stadium. They have accumulated 62 runs batted in as well as 124 hits this season, while their average at the plate is sitting at .229. Cleveland has a slugging percentage of .379 and have struck out 138 times, while taking a walk on 60 occasions.

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The Guardians hold a team earned run average of 3.92 for the year (14th in the league), and their staff has struck out 141 batters. Guardians pitchers have surrendered 20 home runs in addition to 73 total runs (12th in the league). They have walked 61 opposing players and their FIP comes in at 4.21 as a team so far this season. Cleveland has allowed 137 base hits (8.4 per 9 innings) and also 64 earned runs. Their K/BB ratio is 2.31 and their pitching staff sits with a WHIP of 1.35.

The Guardians relief pitchers have recorded a save percentage of 60.0% and has entered the game in 21 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 23 runners so far this season and 17.4% of those runners ended up scoring. Guardians bullpen pitchers have entered the contest with opponents on base 16 times as well as having 14 appearances in high leverage situations. The Guardians have dispatched 59 relievers to the mound this season. The bullpen have a total of 16 holds so far this season (5th in the league). They have 3 saves on the year and have blown 2 of 5 save chances.

The Cincinnati Reds have accounted for 441 putouts this year, in addition to 122 assists and 11 errors. Their fielding rate is currently at .981 which puts them in 25th in pro baseball, and have accumulated 15 double plays. The Guardians have converted 69.1% of balls hit into play into outs in their 1,323 innings, ranking them 23rd in baseball.

Ortiz (13-15 career record) sits with a FIP of 4.01 while facing 1,096 opposing batters during his time in the majors. He has surrendered 233 base hits (8.2 hits per 9 innings) and has 106 walks. His earned run average is 4.07 (115 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.334. Ortiz has taken the ball for 254 innings and has totaled 198 K's in his MLB career.

The Pittsburgh Pirates hold a team OBP of .283 as well as a batting average of .198 on the campaign. They have struck out on 173 occasions (5th in baseball) and have earned a total of 123 base hits. Pittsburgh is sitting with 12 home runs for the year to go along with 65 RBIs. The Pirates hold a slugging percentage of .302 and they are recording 3.47 runs per contest (25th in the league). They have put up 21 doubles, while getting a free base 68 times as well as scoring 66 runs.

The Pirates are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.226 and are the owners of a FIP of 3.41 as a team so far this year. They are currently ranked 21st in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 147. The Pittsburgh pitching staff have relinquished 85 runs so far this season while having a team ERA of 4.03 (77 earned runs yielded). Their strikeout to walk ratio comes in at 7.90 (151 strikeouts vs 64 walks). They have allowed 11 long balls and they relinquish 4.45 runs per 9 innings (18th in the league).

With 18 save situations, the Pirates have accumulated 11 holds and also 4 blown saves. Pittsburgh has had bullpen pitchers step onto the mound in 7 save chances and they have come away with 3 saves. Their bullpen pitchers have taken the field 25 times in high leverage situations and also on 18 occasions with runners on. Pittsburgh relievers have an inherited score rate of 28.6% out of their 28 inherited runners. They sit at 26th in baseball with a save rate of 42.9%, and they have dispatched 63 relief pitchers onto the field on the season.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have gotten 16 double plays and have notched a fielding percentage of .976 (28th in the majors). The Pirates have 174 assists, 17 errors and have accumulated 517 putouts this season. In their 1,551 innings on the field, the Pirates hold a efficiency on defense of 69.9% (19th in baseball).

In his pro baseball career, Mlodzinski has conceded 86 base hits and he has 94 strikeouts in 99 innings pitched. Mlodzinski (9-10 career mark) is the owner of a 3.36 earned run average while giving up 7.8 hits per nine innings. He has conceded a total of 37 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.300 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.3. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.19 and he has gone up against 422 opposing hitters so far in his career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (+172)

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