MLB Game Preview: Baltimore Orioles (44-56) vs. Cleveland Guardians (50-50)

The Baltimore Orioles (44–56) and Cleveland Guardians (50–50) continue their four-game American League series on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 PM ET, with the Guardians riding a three-game winning streak and looking to stay hot in the AL Central playoff race. The Orioles, meanwhile, have dropped six of their last seven games and aim to avoid a sweep after falling 6–3 on Tuesday.

Matchup Overview

• Venue: Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH
• Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2025
• Time: 6:40 PM ET
• Broadcast: MASN2 (Orioles), CLEG (Guardians), MLB Network
• Streaming: MLB.TV, FuboTV (regional restrictions may apply)

Starting Pitchers

Team	Pitcher	Record	ERA	WHIP	Strikeouts
Orioles	Zach Eflin (RHP)	6–5	5.95	1.52	42
Guardians	Slade Cecconi (RHP)	5–4	3.84	1.23	58

• Zach Eflin returns to the mound for the first time since June 28, when he allowed 4 ER in 1 IP vs. Tampa Bay. He’s struggled with consistency and has a .310 opponent batting average.
• Slade Cecconi has been solid, averaging 5.7 innings per start and holding opponents to a .246 batting average. He’s coming off a rough outing vs. Oakland but owns four quality starts this season.

Key Players to Watch

Baltimore Orioles

• Gunnar Henderson: .278 AVG, 11 HR, 35 RBI – leads team in hits; 7-for-9 in his last 3 games.
• Ryan O’Hearn: .280 AVG, 12 HR – team leader in batting average; 14 doubles and 36 RBI.
• Jackson Holliday: 13 HR – hit an RBI single Tuesday; .260 AVG with 39 RBI.
• Ramón Laureano: 4 HR in last 5 games – including a solo shot Tuesday.

Cleveland Guardians

• José Ramírez: .295 AVG, 21 HR, 56 RBI – homered in back-to-back games; ranks top 10 in MLB batting average.
• Angel Martínez: .254 AVG, 9 HR – 5-game hit streak; batting .458 over last 5 games.
• Steven Kwan: .285 AVG – returned from wrist injury; 2 hits and 3 walks Monday.
• Kyle Manzardo: 16 HR – hit go-ahead homer Monday and added an RBI Tuesday.

Team Stats & Trends

Category	Orioles	Guardians
Batting Average	.239 (23rd MLB)	.225 (29th MLB)
Slugging Percentage	.397 (16th)	.373 (27th)
Home Runs	115 (12th)	105 (19th)
Runs Scored	407 (23rd)	381 (26th)
Team ERA	5.76 (last 10 games)	3.52 (last 10 games)

• Guardians are 8–2 in their last 10 games, outscoring opponents by 18 runs.
• Orioles are 1–6 in their last 7, with a 5.76 ERA and just 3.3 runs per game.
• Cleveland leads the season series 3–2, including wins in the first two games of this set.

Final Takeaway

The Orioles vs. Guardians matchup on July 23, 2025, features two teams heading in opposite directions. Cleveland’s offense is clicking behind José Ramírez, Angel Martínez, and Kyle Manzardo, while Baltimore leans on Gunnar Henderson and Ramón Laureano to spark a turnaround. With Slade Cecconi offering more stability than Zach Eflin, the Guardians have the edge—but expect a competitive, high-scoring affair.