Guardians vs Twins Picks & Odds: Can Cleveland Extend Its Division Lead?

The Minnesota Twins (69-67) play host to the Cleveland Guardians (70-65) in a crucial three-game series between two teams battling for top spot in the American League Central Division. This marks the first of eight head-to-head meetings over the next 11 days. See below for more on this matchup, including a Guardians vs Twins prediction.   

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Guardians vs Twins Sportsbook Odds

The Twins opened as slight favorites, but this game is basically a pick’em. Both teams are feeling the pressure with a 2-6 record in their last eight games. The total opened at 8. The UNDER is 4-2 in their last six meetings and you get the sense this may be a grind-it-out game in which runs are at a premium.

Get the best Guardians vs Twins odds and lines available from our recommended sportsbooks for your favorite picks of the night.

Starting Pitchers

The Guardians send Cal Quantrill to the hill in the series opener. He is 11-5 on the season and should be fresh after having his most recent outing cut short after just three innings due to weather. Quantrill hasn’t lost in over two months, going 7-0 in his last 11 starts. This is his second start vs the Twins this season after pitching eight strong innings in a no-decision back in June.

The Twins counter withDylan Bundy, who is 8-6 with a 4.34 ERA. He was impressive in his most recent start, giving Minnesota five shutout innings against the White Sox. Bundy picked up a no-decision in his only start vs the Guardians this season.  

Guardians Struggling To Find Offense

Cleveland is hoping a date with its division rival will spark the team’s bats. The Guardians have been shut out four times in their last 10 games, averaging just two runs per game during that stretch. The good news, though, is that they have won six of 11 meetings with the Twins this season and continue to hold a 1.5-game lead over Minnesota in the division.  

September has not been kind to Jose Ramirez, who is hitting just .154 this month. Ramirez, who is third in the majors with 108 RBIs, hasn’t hit a home run in 10 straight games and has collected just two RBIs in that time. He may not be overly excited to see the Twins as he is hitting just .222 in 11 games against them this season.

It Appears To Be Division Or Bust For Minnesota

There’s no denying the Twins understand the importance of this upcoming stretch with the Guardians. A wild-card position may be out of reach as they currently sit seven games back of Toronto for the final spot, so catching the Guardians has to be their main focus.

Minnesota salvaged a win last night against the Yankees to finish a seven-game road trip 2-5. They have been very inconsistent in their last 20 games. During that span, they have a six-game losing streak, a pair of three-game losing skids and a stretch where they won five in a row.

Carlos Correa continues to swing a hot bat. He is hitting .318 with three home runs and five RBIs in his last five games.

Guardians Player Prop: Jose Ramirez To Hit A Home Run (+425)

Ramirez is too good a player to be struggling like he is. He’s been sitting on 26 home runs for too long now so it’s only a matter of time until he hits No. 27. He’s proven he is a big-time player so why not do it when it matters the most?   

Guardians: Keys To Victory

Cleveland will need Quantrill to continue his dominance if the Guardians are going to have a chance to win. Given the way their offense is sputtering, anything less than a quality start may not be good enough as the Guardians try to extend their lead atop the division.    

Twins: Keys To Victory

Home-field advantage. Minnesota returns to Target Field where the Twins have won five of their last six games and have a .580 winning percentage this season. Bundy’s numbers are also much stronger at home, so if he can keep Cleveland’s offense at bay, then taking the home team may be the play when making your Guardians vs Twins pick.  

MLB Computer Pick: OVER 7.5 Runs

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