Cleveland Guardians vs St. Louis Cardinals Prediction, 9/20/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Cleveland Guardians vs St. Louis Cardinals

Date: Friday, September 20, 2024

Location: Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

The Cleveland Guardians (88-65) are traveling to Busch Stadium on Friday where they will attempt to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals (77-75). The starting pitchers will be Ben Lively and Kyle Gibson.

Cleveland has a slugging percentage of .394 and have struck out 1,135 times, while taking a walk on 445 occasions. They have earned 640 RBI's as well as 1,202 base knocks on the year, while their average at the plate is at .238. The Guardians have accrued 233 two-baggers as a unit and have hit 174 balls out of the park. They have accumulated 678 runs while holding a team OBP of .308. As a squad, the Cleveland Guardians are compiling 4.4 runs per game, which has them at 14th in the league.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 2.89 and the pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.20. Guardians pitchers have given up 175 home runs and also 598 total runs (3rd in the league). Cleveland has given up 1,169 base hits (7.8 per 9 innings) as well as 557 earned runs. The Guardians hold a team ERA of 3.69 this season (5th in baseball), and they have struck out 1,340 hitters. They have walked 463 opposing players and their FIP sits at 4.02 as a unit this year.

The Guardians have sent 561 relief pitchers to the mound over the course of the season. The relief pitchers have inherited 226 runners so far this year and 26.5% of those players crossed the plate. They have earned 51 saves so far this season and have blown 15 of 66 save chances. The Guardians relievers have earned a save percentage of 77.3% and has entered the game in 186 save situations. The bullpen have a total of 118 holds on the year (1st in the league). Guardians bullpen pitchers have gone to the mound with players on base 161 times as well as having 193 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Cleveland Guardians are sitting with 4,071 putouts this season, in addition to 1,302 assists and 78 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .986 which has them sitting 12th in the majors, and they have turned 119 double plays. The Guardians have transformed 70.9% of balls in play into outs out of their 12,213 innings, which has them sitting at 4th in MLB.

Lively has taken the ball for 351 frames and is sitting with 271 punch outs in his MLB career. Lively (20-26 career mark) has a FIP of 4.50 while facing 1,496 hitters in the major leagues. His ERA is 4.57 (178 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.337. He has given up 361 base knocks (9.3 hits per 9 innings) and has 108 free passes.

St. Louis has a total of 156 long balls on the campaign to go along with 593 RBIs. They have hit 234 two-baggers, while taking a walk 443 times and recording 624 runs. The St. Louis Cardinals have accounted for a team OBP of .310 in addition to a batting average of .246 on the campaign. The Cardinals hold a slugging percentage of .389 and they are recording 4.11 runs per game (24th in the league). They have struck out on 1,236 occasions (21st in the league) and have recorded 1,271 base knocks.

The Cardinals hold a team WHIP of 1.260 and are the owners of a FIP of 3.96 as a pitching staff over the course of the season. They are currently ranked 22nd in baseball as a staff in total hits allowed with 1,277. The St. Louis pitching staff have allowed 680 runs so far this season while holding an ERA of 4.06 (612 earned runs allowed). Their strikeout to walk ratio comes in at 8.20 (1,238 strikeouts vs 432 walks). They have conceded 164 long balls and they surrender 4.51 runs per 9 innings (18th in the league).

With 173 save situations, the Cardinals have earned 96 holds and 26 blown saves. St. Louis has had bullpen pitchers step onto the hill in 77 save opportunities and they have tallied 51 saves. Their relievers have stepped onto the hill 171 times in high leverage situations and on 154 occasions with runners on. St. Louis relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 36.6% of 213 inherited base runners. They are currently ranked 9th in baseball with a save percentage of 66.2%, and they have dispatched 478 bullpen pitchers onto the field this year.

The St. Louis Cardinals have turned 142 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .988 (4th in professional baseball). The Cardinals have recorded 1,411 assists, 69 errors and have notched a total of 4,068 putouts this year. In their 12,204 innings on the diamond, the Cardinals have a efficiency on defense of 69.6% (17th in pro baseball).

Thus far in his career, Gibson has surrendered 1,897 hits and he has 1,503 punch outs in 1,855 innings pitched. Gibson (112-107 win-loss record in his career) holds a 4.51 ERA and has conceded 9.2 hits per nine innings. He has allowed 929 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.374 and a FIP of 4.4. His K/BB ratio is 2.31 and he has faced 7,949 hitters in his MLB career.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take St. Louis

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