Venue & First Pitch
- Location: George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, Florida
- Date: Friday, September 5, 2025
- Time: 7:35 PM ET
- Broadcast: Bally Sports Sun (TB), Bally Sports Great Lakes (CLE), MLB.TV
- Capacity: ~11,000
Weather Forecast (Tampa – Outside Conditions)
- Conditions: Mostly clear, mild
- Temperature: ~76°F (24°C)
- Wind: Light ESE at 4–6 mph
- Precipitation: <5%
- Impact: Ideal baseball weather; roof open possible
Injury Report
Rays
- Taylor Walls (groin), Jonathan Aranda (wrist), Jonny DeLuca (hamstring), Stuart Fairchild (oblique) – IL
- Shane McClanahan (triceps), Alex Faedo (shoulder), Nathan Lavender (elbow), Manuel Rodriguez (forearm), Hunter Bigge (lat) – 60‑day IL
Guardians
- Lane Thomas (foot), Will Brennan (forearm), Andrew Walters (lat), Ben Lively (forearm), John Means (elbow), Sam Hentges (shoulder) – IL
- Nic Enright (elbow) – 15‑day IL
Recent Form
Guardians (Last 10): 5‑5, .196 AVG, 4.50 ERA, -6 run diff
Rays (Last 10): 8‑2, .272 AVG, 2.22 ERA, +30 run diff — riding 7‑game win streak
Probable Pitchers
- CLE: RHP Gavin Williams (9‑5, 3.26 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 143 K)
- August: 3‑1, 2.43 ERA; career vs. TB: 0‑1, 2.93 ERA in 3 starts
- TB: RHP Griffin Jax (1‑7, 4.98 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 87 K) — opener
- Expected bulk innings: LHP Ian Seymour (3‑0, 2.97 ERA, .194 BAA)
Key Player Matchups
- José Ramírez (CLE) vs. TB Pitching
- .280/.354/.497, 27 HR, 36 SB; 2‑for‑4 HR in last game
- Steven Kwan (CLE) vs. Rays Starters
- Elite contact hitter (.274 AVG), 25 doubles
- Junior Caminero (TB) vs. CLE Pitching
- 40 HR, 102 RBI; .400 AVG last 5 games
- Yandy Díaz (TB) vs. Gavin Williams
- .294 AVG, 22 HR; 5‑for‑5 game earlier this week
Series History
- All-Time: CLE leads 109‑83
- 2025: 2‑2; CLE took 2 of 3 in Cleveland last week
Betting Trends
- Rays: 60.3% win rate as favorite; 5‑1 last 6 as home favorite; OVER in 5 of last 10
- Guardians: 43.6% win rate as underdog; UNDER in 4 of last 6 vs. TB
- Head-to-Head: UNDER in 3 of last 5 meetings
Game Odds
Cleveland Guardians 8
Tampa Bay Rays – 132
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Thursday, September 4, 2025
