San Francisco Giants vs Cleveland Guardians Prediction, 8/18/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: San Francisco Giants vs Cleveland Guardians

Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Location: Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH

TV: MLB.TV

Odds/Point Spread: San Francisco (+110) Cleveland (-132)

The San Francisco Giants (51-73) are traveling to Progressive Field on Tuesday where they will attempt to defeat the Cleveland Guardians (60-65). The odds on this game have the Giants at +110 and the Guardians are sitting at -132. The total has been set at 8.5. The pitchers who are expected to start are Carson Whisenhunt and Foster Griffin.

As a squad, the San Francisco Giants are putting up 4.1 runs per contest, which puts them at 24th in the league. They have racked up 509 runs while having a team on-base percentage of .307. The Giants have recorded 208 two-baggers as a unit and have hit 137 balls out of the park. They have accounted for 489 RBI's as well as 1,048 hits for the year, and their average at the plate sits at .249. San Francisco has a slugging % of .407 and have struck out 967 times, while drawing a walk on 327 occasions.

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The Giants are sitting with a team ERA of 4.36 this year (22nd in MLB), and their staff has rung up 937 batters. Giants pitchers have given up 116 home runs in addition to 576 runs in total (20th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 467 players from the other team and their FIP is 4.17 as a team on the year. San Francisco has allowed 1,015 hits (8.3 per 9 innings) in addition to 531 earned runs. They have a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.01 and the pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.35.

The Giants bullpen have accumulated a save percentage of 54.8% and stepped onto the hill in 102 save situations. They have recorded 23 saves on the year and have blown 19 of 42 chances to get a save. The relief pitchers have inherited 213 runners on the year with 36.2% of those players crossing home plate. Giants relief pitchers have entered the game with opponents on base 140 times in addition to having 104 appearances in high leverage situations. The Giants have dispatched 391 relief pitchers to the hill this season. The relievers have a total of 60 holds so far this year (21st in MLB).

The San Francisco Giants have earned a total of 3,285 putouts so far this season, as well as 1,163 assists and 79 errors. Their fielding rate is currently at .983 which ranks 25th in professional baseball, and they have turned 115 double plays. The Giants have transformed 69.7% of balls hit into play into outs out of 9,855 innings on the field, which has them ranked 16th in pro baseball.

Whisenhunt has taken the hill for 51 frames and is sitting with 38 strikeouts so far in his career. His ERA is 5.64 (32 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.605. He has surrendered 52 hits (9.2 hits per 9 innings) and has 30 free passes. Whisenhunt (5-4 win-loss mark in his career) holds a FIP of 5.55 and he has faced 232 batters during his time in the majors.

The Guardians have a team slugging percentage of .369 and they score 3.95 runs per contest (28th in the league). They have notched 187 two-baggers, while walking 455 times as well as scoring 494 runs. Cleveland has accounted for 119 home runs so far this year to go along with 471 runs batted in. They have struck out on 1,023 occasions (17th in the league) and have totaled 964 hits. The Cleveland Guardians are sitting with an on-base percentage of .313 as well as a team batting average of .233 on the season.

The Guardians have a team WHIP of 1.273 in addition to having a FIP of 3.95 as a pitching staff so far this year. They currently have a strikeout to walk ratio of 9.40 (1,155 strikeouts against 413 walks). They are currently ranked 11th in baseball as a staff in total hits given up with 995. They have given up 145 homers and they yield 4.28 runs per 9 innings (9th in MLB). The Cleveland pitching staff have surrendered 526 runs over the course of the season while having an ERA of 3.85 (473 earned runs yielded).

They are ranked 6th in the league holding a save rate of 71.4%, and they have sent 428 relief pitchers to the hill on the campaign. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the mound 142 times in high leverage situations and on 130 occasions with base runners. Sitting with 144 save situations, the Guardians have accrued 93 holds and 14 blown saves. Cleveland has had relief pitchers step onto the mound in 49 save opportunities and they have recorded 35 saves. Cleveland bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 27.2% out of 202 inherited base runners.

The Cleveland Guardians have gotten 83 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .984 (20th in baseball). The Guardians have recorded 981 assists, 68 errors and have accumulated 3,320 putouts over the course of the season. In 9,960 innings played, the Guardians have a defensive efficiency of 69.4% (23rd in the majors).

Thus far in his career, Griffin has surrendered 18 base hits and he has 14 K's in 17 innings. Griffin (2-1 career record) has a 6.35 ERA while giving up 9.5 hits per nine innings. He has given up a total of 12 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.529 and a FIP of 6.3. His K/BB ratio is 1.75 and he has faced 80 hitters so far in his career.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take San Francisco (+110)

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