Guardians vs Astros Odds: Picks for AL Division Winners Rivalry

It’s a matchup of 2024 American League division winners on Friday when the Houston Astros visit the Cleveland Guardians.

While West champion Houston is locked into the AL’s No. 3 seed, Central winner Cleveland could still get the No. 1.

Why Bet on Houston?

Yordan Alvarez

All-Star slugger Alvarez will not play at all in Cleveland due to a sprained knee suffered last Sunday sliding into second base against the Angels. He hasn’t played since.

JOIN NOW

Game Odds provided by MyBookie Sportsbook

Why Bet on Cleveland?

Cleveland will celebrate its 12th AL Central Division title with a flag-raising ceremony preceding Friday’s game vs. Houston. Cleveland will be no worse than the AL’s No. 2 seed and could catch the Yankees for the No. 1 but it’s not that likely. The Guardians probably would have to sweep this weekend at a minimum.

They enter off a two-game home sweep of Cincinnati to start this week. In Wednesday’s 5-2 win, All-Star outfielder and leadoff hitter Steven Kwan returned from the injured list with a bang, homering in his first at-bat since Sept. 12.

Jose Ramirez

He’s two dingers shy of a 40-homer, 40 steal season. No Guardians player has ever had a 40/40 year and only seven MLB players overall have.

“One of my favorite parts of having this job is getting to watch [Ramírez] every single night,” Manager Stephen Vogt said. “We’re spoiled.”

Emmanuel Clase

All-Star closer Clase, who likely finishes second in the AL Cy Young voting behind Detroit starter Tarik Skubal, tossed a scoreless ninth inning and picked up his 47th save of the year and lowered his ERA to an absurd 0.61 in the process.

Joey Cantillo

It’s the rookie lefty (2-3, 4.63 ERA) on the mound Friday – he originally was scheduled for Wednesday but pushed back. Cantillo surrendered two runs — one earned — in 4 1/3 innings last Thursday in a no-decision against the Twins. Both runs came in the fifth on a double, a walk and another double. The second double included a bobble that allowed a run to score, and since Nick Sandlin struck out two after replacing Cantillo, that run remained unearned. Cantillo wound up with six strikeouts, giving him 22 in three turns since he slid into the Cleveland rotation.

This will be Cantillo’s first career look at Houston.