MLB Game Preview: Athletics (41-57) vs. Cleveland Guardians (46-49)

Game Details

• Date: Friday, July 18, 2025
• Time: 7:10 PM ET
• Location: Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH
• Watch: NBCSCA, CLEG, MLB.TV

Team Form & Momentum

Athletics – Power-Heavy Underdogs

• Last in AL West, 16 games behind Astros
• 5–5 in last 10 games, averaging 4.3 runs per game
• JP Sears (7–7, 4.79 ERA) starts; 6 strikeouts in last outing vs Atlanta
• A’s rank 7th in MLB in home runs (127) and 8th in slugging (.417)
• Brent Rooker (.279 AVG, 20 HR, 22 doubles) on a 6-game hitting streak
• Nick Kurtz has 5 HR in last 10 games, batting .306 during that span

Cleveland Guardians – Trying to Snap Home Skid

• 20–23 home record, 7-game home losing streak
• 6–4 in last 10 games, but batting just .201 over that stretch
• Slade Cecconi (4–4, 3.44 ERA) starts; 7 IP, 2 ER, 9 K vs Astros in last outing
• Guardians rank 29th in MLB in batting average (.222) and 28th in slugging (.366)
• José Ramírez leads team with 18 HR, 50 RBI, and a .295 AVG
• Angel Martinez has 3 HR and 8 RBI over last 10 games

Key Stats & Betting Trends

• Guardians have won 7 straight home games vs Athletics
• 6 of last 8 Guardians home games vs A’s have gone Over the total
• Athletics have covered the spread in 4 of last 5 games, showing a profit of +2.46 units
• Cecconi has a 0.00 ERA vs Athletics this season in 7 IP

Player Spotlight

Brent Rooker (Athletics)

• .279 AVG, 20 HR, 65 RBI
• 6-game hitting streak: .351 AVG, 3 HR, 9 RBI
• Career .452 SLG vs Guardians

José Ramírez (Guardians)

• .295 AVG, 18 HR, 50 RBI
• 11th in MLB in batting average, 18th in slugging
• 3 HR in last 7 games