Can MLB-Leading Guardians Slow Down the Surging D-Backs?
Diamondbacks vs Guardians Series Preview Favors Gallen, Diamondbacks in Series Opener

Gallen and Allen to Square Off in the Lone Series of 2024 Between Arizona and Cleveland
The Arizona Diamondbacks are making their move with a 17-7 record over its last 24 games to move into MLB playoff position in the National League.
Will that continue against the American League-leading Cleveland Guardians? The Diamondbacks vs Guardians series preview has Arizona favored in Monday’s series opener, with ace Zac Gallen set to pitch.
Arizona won two of the three games versus Cleveland last season, even though the Guardians outscored the Diamondbacks 16-14 in the series. Cleveland has won six of the last eight home games against Arizona.

The MLB picks and parlays have Arizona priced at -122 to win the opener, with the visiting Diamondbacks having +135 odds at -1.5 on the run line.
After being favored in 18 consecutive home games, the Guardians have +112 odds to win the series opener.
- Cleveland is seventh at +1300 in the MLB odds of winning the World Series with the Diamondbacks 15th at +4000 in the championship odds.
Diamondbacks vs Guardians 
📊Records: Arizona Diamondbacks 60-52 (29-27 on the road) vs Cleveland Guardians 67-44 (35-17 at home)
📆Day/Time:
📍Location: Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH
📺Streaming: Bally Sports Great Lakes
Diamondbacks vs Guardians Probable Starting Pitchers
- Monday: Zac Gallen (Diamondbacks); Logan Allen (Guardians)
- Tuesday: TBA (Diamondbacks); Ben Lively (Guardians)
- Wednesday: Brandon Pfaadt (Diamondbacks); Carlos Carrasco (Guardians)
Diamondbacks Flexing Their Muscles
Over the last 30 games, Arizona is the only MLB team in the major leagues that has two players with at least 10 home runs.
Second baseman Ketel Marte is batting .366 with 10 home runs and 26 RBIs over his last 22 games while third baseman Eugenio Suarez is hitting .315 with 10 home runs and 25 RBIs. That could factor into the Diamondbacks vs Guardians series preview.
Although outfielder Corbin Carroll is hitting just .225 during that stretch, he does have four triples and six home runs.
When looking at the MLB stats, with 26 home runs and 61 extra-base hits in 15 games, Arizona has the best team slugging percentage among National League teams since the All-Star break.
Seven of Arizona’s last nine games went over the total.
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Plenty of Guardians Games Landing Over
The Guardians had a recent stretch when six of seven games went under the total, with five runs or less scored four times. It was a different story in the four-game series with the Baltimore Orioles.
All four games landed over the total with at least 11 combined runs scored in each of those MLB matchups.
Cleveland hadn’t been involved in back-to-back games with more than 10 runs scored since the first three games in July. Keep that in mind when it comes to the Diamondbacks vs Guardians series preview.
- The Guardians were 12-for-32 with runners in scoring position in those four games as Cleveland split the four games with Baltimore in the matchup between division leaders.
Five of Cleveland’s last six games went over the total.
Who’s Hot
- Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks P: Gallen is 3-0 with a 2.12 ERA over his last three starts.
- Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Guardians 3B: Ramirez is 11-for-29 with 10 runs, two doubles, five home runs, and 11 RBIs in his last seven games.
- Cade Smith, Cleveland Guardians P: Smith has surrendered six hits and no runs with 25 strikeouts in 16 innings during his last 13 games.
- Eugenio Suarez, Arizona Diamondbacks, 3B: Suarez is batting .368 with 12 runs, three doubles, five home runs, and nine home runs in his last nine games.
Who’s Not
- Scott Barlow, Cleveland Guardians P: Barlow allowed one hit, walked two hits and gave up three runs while recording just one out in his last outing.
- Brandon Pfaadt, Arizona Diamondbacks P: Pfaadt has allowed 14 hits and eight runs in 11 innings over his last two starts.
- Alek Thomas, Arizona Diamondbacks OF: Thomas is 4-for-24 over his last eight games.
- Lane Thomas, Cleveland Guardians OF: Thomas is 0-for-12 with six strikeouts in his last three games.
Diamondbacks vs Guardians Injury Update
Pitchers Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Blake Walston are on the injured list for the Diamondbacks, as is first baseman Christian Walker.
Pitcher Tanner Bibee is day-to-day for the Guardians, while pitchers Matthew Boyd, Alex Cobb, and Sam Hentges are on the injured list.
We’re running out of things to say about Ketel Marte at this point… pic.twitter.com/y0VIKsVTOU
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) August 4, 2024
Diamondbacks vs Guardians Betting Preview
The Diamondbacks have won four of their last five games on the road but are just 2-6 in the last eight games in Cleveland. When looking at the 2024 MLB scores, the Diamondbacks have covered in 31 of 56 road games.
Arizona leads the National League with 93 runs scored and a slugging percentage of .516 since the MLB All-Star break ended. Cleveland has the fourth-best team ERA of 3.71 among American League teams during that stretch.
Cleveland has won just three of eight games as a home underdog with Arizona 7-8 outright as the road favorite.
The Guardians have covered against the run line in four of the eight games as the underdog at home. They are 24-16 against the run line this season as the underdog compared to a 21-37 mark for Arizona as a favorite.
Four of Cleveland’s last five home games went over the total, with the total at 8.5 for the series opener.
There is about a 50% chance of rain at the time of the first pitch for Monday’s series opener.
- Arizona looks to keep rolling as the Diamondbacks are 5-2 in the last seven games started by Gallen. However, the Guardians are second among American League teams with 35 wins at home.
The Guardians did lose two of three games against San Diego the last time that a team from the National League West Division came to Progressive Field.
For MLB betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.