The New York Yankees visit the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night to open a three-game series in Cleveland, with both clubs entering the matchup near the top of their divisions. The Yankees are 38-26 and second in the AL East, while the Guardians are 37-30 and first in the AL Central. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. EDT.
Cleveland is listed as a slight home favorite at -118, with New York at -102, and the over/under is set at 8 runs. The pitching matchup features Yankees right-hander Will Warren, who is 7-1 with a 3.22 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 70 strikeouts, against Guardians starter Gavin Williams, who is 9-3 with a 3.20 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 94 strikeouts.
The Guardians have been solid at home, going 17-14 in Cleveland, and are 20-3 when they score at least five runs. Overall, they have built their division lead behind a balanced team effort and enough offense to support a pitching staff that has generally kept them competitive. Monday’s game will be the fourth meeting between the Yankees and Guardians this season, adding another chapter to a matchup between two contending teams.
New York has been strong away from home as well, posting a 19-14 road record. The Yankees have also been effective offensively overall, carrying a .329 on-base percentage, which ranks sixth in the majors. Their lineup has produced consistently throughout the season, helping them remain in the playoff hunt despite a long list of injuries to key players.
Jose Ramirez continues to be one of Cleveland’s most important bats, contributing 17 doubles, 10 home runs and 33 RBIs. Kyle Manzardo has also provided recent production, going 9 for 32 over his last 10 games with three doubles, two home runs and four RBIs. For New York, Ben Rice has been a major source of extra-base power, leading the team with 35 extra-base hits, including 15 doubles, two triples and 18 home runs. Jazz Chisholm has also been productive lately, going 8 for 38 in his last 10 games with a double, three homers and six RBIs.
Recent form has been mixed for both teams. The Guardians are 5-5 over their last 10 games, batting .245 with a 4.34 ERA and being outscored by 11 runs. The Yankees are 6-4 in their last 10, hitting .276 with a 3.44 ERA and outscoring opponents by 28 runs, a sign that they have been playing sharper baseball entering the series.
Injuries remain a major storyline for New York, with several players sidelined, including Giancarlo Stanton, Austin Wells, Aaron Judge, Angel Chivilli, Jasson Dominguez, Max Fried and Clarke Schmidt. Cleveland is also missing Gabriel Arias and Erik Sabrowski. The Associated Press compiled the game preview using Data Skrive technology and Sportradar data.
