First pitch: approximately 4:07 p.m. ET
Venue: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, California
This is the finale (or continuation) of a series in which the Guardians have been dominant, winning the prior contests (including a 4-2 win Monday and an 8-6 extra-inning victory Tuesday featuring José Ramírez’s 5 RBIs and Steven Kwan’s 5 hits). Cleveland is streaking and in the AL Central/Wild Card mix, while the Angels are well out of contention in the AL West.
Probable Starting Pitchers
Guardians: LHP Joey Cantillo (9-7, 3.73 ERA, ~1.45 WHIP in 130.1 IP with 144 strikeouts). The left-hander has been a reliable rotation piece with solid strikeout ability, though walks can inflate pitch counts. He has shown effectiveness in recent outings.
Angels: RHP Grayson Rodriguez (4-5, 6.41 ERA, ~1.53 WHIP in 66 IP with 61 strikeouts). The former Orioles prospect has struggled in his first season with Los Angeles after injury setbacks, posting elevated ERAs despite occasional strong starts (including a recent solid outing).
Current Weather Forecast (Anaheim / Angel Stadium)
Hot and mostly sunny to partly cloudy. Highs in the mid-to-upper 90s°F (around 97–98°F or higher inland; slightly cooler near the park possible). Southwest winds around 5–10 mph. Very low chance of precipitation. Typical late-August Southern California heat with clear conditions expected for an afternoon/early evening start.
Injury Reports
Guardians: Rhys Hoskins (back, 10-day), Slade Cecconi (arm, 15-day), Shawn Armstrong (leg, 60-day); Chase DeLauter has been day-to-day (hamstring). Overall relatively healthier than opponents.
Angels: Nolan Schanuel (side, 10-day), multiple pitchers on IL (Samy Natera Jr., Shaun Anderson, Sam Bachman, Jack Kochanowicz, Robert Stephenson, and others); position players including Yoan Moncada (knee), Anthony Rendon (hip), and others on longer-term lists. Significant depth issues.
Key Current Roster Contributors
Guardians: José Ramírez (power and production), Steven Kwan (contact and multi-hit games), Travis Bazzana, Jo Adell, Nathaniel Lowe, Brayan Rocchio, Angel Martínez, Patrick Bailey, and others. Streaking offense with strong recent production.
Angels: Mike Trout, Zach Neto, Vaughn Grissom (recent power), Josh Lowe, Christian Moore, Denzer Guzman, Adam Frazier, and supporting pieces. Capable of early scoring but inconsistent overall.
Recent Team Forms
Guardians (hot: multiple-game win streak, including series dominance over Angels; strong ~7-3 or better in recent stretches): Playing well on the road and generating runs from key contributors. Motivated in the playoff race.
Angels (struggling: poor overall record, recent losses in the series): Have shown flashes of power (early leads in recent games) but bullpen and starting pitching inconsistencies have led to collapses. Deep in the standings.
Series History
Guardians have taken the early games of the series (4-2 and 8-6 in 10 innings). Cleveland has had success against Los Angeles this season. Angel Stadium has seen competitive but Guardians-favorable results recently.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Joey Cantillo vs. Angels lineup: Left-handed arsenal against Trout, Neto, Grissom, and the right-leaning order. Cantillo’s strikeouts and ability to limit damage will be tested by Angels’ occasional power surges.
Grayson Rodriguez vs. Guardians lineup: Elevated ERA makes him vulnerable to Ramírez’s extra-base ability, Kwan’s contact, and the balanced Cleveland attack. Command issues could lead to high pitch counts.
Bullpens and late innings: Guardians have shown strong relief work (including high-leverage arms securing recent wins). Angels’ bullpen has been taxed and injury-depleted.
Offense trends: Cleveland’s recent multi-hit and RBI production vs. Angels’ ability to jump out early.
Betting Trends
Trends favor the hotter Guardians side given form, pitching edge, and series results, though Angel Stadium and heat can influence run environments.
Game Odds
Cleveland Guardians 139
Los Angeles Angels 9
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, August 25, 2026
