Brewers vs Guardians Betting Preview: Key Series for Both Teams

The Milwaukee Brewers open a three-game series at Milwaukee on Friday. Veteran left-hander Wade Miley will start for the Brewers. The Guardians will send Shane Bieber to the mound. The Brewers vs Guardians betting preview shows Bieber is a -145 favorite with a total of 7.5.

The Brewers are 38-36 on the season. With a run differential of -26 on the season, the Brewers are playing like a 34-40 team. So Milwaukee is a bit fortunate to be just 1.5 games behind the streaking Reds. The Brewers are 16-18 on the road and 18-17 after a loss.

Milwaukee’s hitting leaves a lot to be desired this season. Milwaukee is No. 29 in team batting average and No. 26 in runs scored. The Brewers are No. 17 in home runs, but as a whole, Milwaukee is a big disappointment at the plate.

The Brewers are No. 14 in team ERA and the closers have gotten the job done. Milwaukee is 18 for 26 in save opportunities, which is one reason why the team’s record is better than it should be.

Cleveland is 36-38 on the season but trails Minnesota by just 1.0 games. Nobody is playing particularly well in the AL Central, allowing teams to stay in the playoff race. Cleveland is 4.5 games back in the MLB wildcard standings, so winning the division is going to be the team’s best chance.

The Guardians are No. 17 in team batting average, but No. 27 in runs scored. Cleveland doesn’t hit for power. The team’s 48 home runs are by far the lowest of any team. The Guardians don’t have enough good hitters to string together hits very often.

Cleveland’s strength is its pitching. The Guardians are No. 8 in team ERA and only three teams have more saves than Cleveland. Only the Diamondbacks‘ pitching staff has fewer hit batters than the Guardians.

Friday’s Game

Miley has pitched well for the Brewers. The Brewers vs Guardians betting preview shows Milwaukee is 6-3 when Miley starts this season. His individual stat line shows a 4-2 record with a 3.28 ERA. Milwaukee is 2-2 in his road starts this year.

Bieber hasn’t quite been his usual self this season. His 3.51 ERA is the highest he’s had since his rookie season. But more importantly, the Guardians are just 6-9 when he starts this season. Most of those losses have come on the road, as Cleveland is 4-2 in his home starts.

The Guardians hit the ball a little better against left-handed starters. Cleveland is 13-14 against southpaws, scoring 4.37 runs per game. The Guardians score 3.72 runs against right-handed starters for the year. The Guardians look to be on the right side, but the odds are a bit on the high side.

Saturday’s Game

The Brewers are expected to start Freddy Peralta and the Guardians should counter with Tanner Bibee. The game should be pretty close to even on the betting line. The Brewers are 7-7 when Peralta starts this season. Milwaukee has been blown out twice with Peralta on the hill, so his numbers look a bit worse than how he’s pitched.

Bibee has thrown well for Cleveland. The Guardians are 4-6 when he starts, but are allowing just 3.9 runs in those games. Cleveland is 3-2 when he starts at home. The under could be the way to go in this one.

Sunday’s Game

The Brewers vs Guardians betting preview shows Sunday’s game as one of the better pitching matchups on the MLB schedule. The Brewers will send Corbin Burnes to the mound. Cleveland is expected to start Aaron Civale.

Burnes isn’t pitching quite as well as he has the past few seasons. But he’s still a quality starter, going 5-5 with a 3.94 ERA. The Brewers are 7-8 when he starts, but you have to expect Burnes to start throwing a little better.

Civale is 2-2 with a 2.67 ERA. The Guardians have gone 3-3 in the games he’s started this season. Civale would have better numbers, but Cleveland has scored three or fewer runs in five of his six starts. If that trend continues, the under would be the way to go in this game.

For MLB betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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