Cleveland Guardians vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 7/24/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Cleveland Guardians vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Friday, July 24, 2026

Location: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL

TV: MLB.TV

Odds/Point Spread: Cleveland (+132) Tampa Bay (-160)

Tropicana Field is the location where the Tampa Bay Rays (59-42) will take on the Cleveland Guardians (54-49) on Friday. The moneyline on this contest has Cleveland at +132 and Tampa Bay opens at -160. The total comes in at 8.5. The pitchers who are expected to start are Joey Cantillo and Shane McClanahan.

Cleveland has a slugging rate of .378 and have been called out on strikes 859 times, while taking a walk on 369 occasions. They have 398 RBI's and 797 base knocks over the course of the season, while their team batting average is at .234. The Guardians have accumulated 159 doubles as a team and have hit 102 baseballs out of the stadium. They have a total of 416 runs while having a team on-base percentage of .313. As a unit, the Cleveland Guardians are knocking in 4.0 runs per contest, which puts them at 28th in baseball.

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They have accumulated a K/BB ratio of 2.76 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.27. Guardians pitchers have given up 117 long balls and 420 total runs (8th in the league). Cleveland has surrendered 817 base hits (8.1 per 9 innings) as well as 379 earned runs. The Guardians hold a team earned run average of 3.74 this season (8th in the league), and the staff has struck out 936 hitters. They have walked 339 opposing batters and their FIP sits at 3.94 as a unit so far this season.

Guardians bullpen pitchers have entered the contest with runners on base 99 times as well as having 126 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers are sitting with 85 holds so far this year (1st in the league). The Guardians relievers have a save percentage of 78.6% and have entered the game in 128 save situations. They have recorded 33 saves this year and have blown 9 of 42 save opportunities. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 153 runners so far this year with 24.2% of them crossing home plate. The Guardians have dispatched 348 relief pitchers to the hill on the campaign.

The Guardians have converted 69.7% of balls hit into play into outs out of 8,214 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting 20th in pro baseball. The Cleveland Guardians have 2,738 putouts for the season, in addition to 813 assists and 54 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .985 which is 18th in professional baseball, and have accumulated 70 double plays.

Cantillo (15-12 career record) has a FIP of 3.66 while he has gone up against 1,019 hitters during his time in the majors. He has surrendered 212 base hits (8.0 hits per 9 innings) and has 109 walks. His earned run average is 3.71 (99 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.338. Cantillo has thrown 240 innings and has accumulated 264 strikeouts during his MLB career.

The Rays have a slugging percentage of .404 and they score 4.53 runs per contest (13th in the league). They have hit 145 two-baggers, while walking 349 times and recording 458 runs. Tampa Bay has tallied 103 long balls over the course of the season as well as 434 RBIs. They have been rung up on 724 occasions (30th in MLB) and have accounted for 881 hits. The Tampa Bay Rays have recorded an on-base percentage of .334 in addition to a batting average of .261 over the course of the season.

The Tampa Bay pitching staff have allowed 426 runs for the year while holding a team ERA of 3.84 (383 earned runs conceded). They have yielded 128 dingers and they allow 4.27 runs per 9 innings (9th in MLB). The Rays have a WHIP of 1.174 in addition to having a FIP of 4.18 as a squad over the course of the season. They currently have a K/BB ratio of 8.10 (805 strikeouts vs 268 walks). They are currently ranked 6th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits conceded with 786.

Tampa Bay relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 29.4% of 119 inherited runners. Their bullpen pitchers have taken the field 96 times in high leverage situations in addition to 82 occasions with runners on. With 129 save situations, the Rays have tallied 77 holds in addition to 14 blown saves. They are ranked 6th in MLB with a save percentage of 73.1%, and they have sent 320 bullpen pitchers onto the diamond for the season.

The Tampa Bay Rays have turned 68 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .983 (23rd in professional baseball). The Rays have accrued 812 assists, 62 errors and have amassed 2,694 putouts this year. In their 8,082 innings on the field, the Rays have a efficiency on defense of 71.9% (2nd in the majors).

McClanahan (41-22 win-loss record in his career) has a 3.05 earned run average while giving up 7.4 hits per nine innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.68 and he has faced 2,005 batters so far in his MLB career. He has conceded 168 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.115 and having a FIP of 3.0. So far in his pro baseball career, McClanahan has conceded 405 hits while tallying 541 strikeouts in 495 innings pitched.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (-160)

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