Cleveland Guardians (9-9) at Pittsburgh Pirates (8-12)

4-18-25 – By Gary Morgan – @garymo2007 on X

It’s always interesting when two teams who were trade partners in the offseason face each other afterwards. We’ll see Luis Ortiz from the jump, while the Pirates side of the deal remains on the IL.

Statistically speaking, the Pirates have a better pitching staff and the Guardians have their number offensively. No matter how you look at this series, these are closely matched teams.

4/18
Cleveland – Luis Ortiz – 1-2, 6.06 ERA, 15K, 6BB, 1.41 WHIP
Pittsburgh – Carmen Mlodzinski – 1-2, 6.23 ERA, 14K, 6BB, 1.77 WHIP

4/19
Cleveland – Ben Lively – 0-2, 4.87 ERA, 16K, 7BB, 1.33 WHIP
Pittsburgh – Paul Skenes – 2-1, 2.96 ERA, 26K, 3BB, 1.82 WHIP

4/20
Cleveland – Logan Allen (L) – 1-1, 2.30 ERA, 11K, 9BB, 1.40 WHIP
Pittsburgh – Mitch Keller – 1-2, 4.30 ERA, 17K, 8BB, 1.35 WHIP

Guardians: Steven Kwan was crazy good in 2024, and he’s off to an even better start to 2025. In 71 ABs he’s hitting .310 with an OPS of .815 along with 3 dingers. In his last 7 games he’s slugging .516. Kwan is a star, and he’s playing like one.

Pirates: Caleb Ferguson has been almost unhittable. On the season in his 10 appearances he’s got an ERA of 0.90 in 10 IP with a WHIP of 1.00. Look, he’s not supposed to be a back end of the bullpen guy, that’s not why he was brought here, thank God he’s performed like one though.

Guardians: Kyle Manzardo has 10 hits in 54 at bats, 4 of them homeruns, but he’s batting .185 and when you have those kind of power numbers and still only have an OPS of .776, welp. His last 7 games he’s been even worse, hitting only .095.

Pirates: I only get one? OK, Bryan Reynolds has been mired this whole season really. He’s hitting .197 with an OPS of .608 and he’s been statistically right here all season long. He has to heat up if this offense has a chance to even support 3-2 style victories.

Guardians: Shane Bieber, John Means and Slade Cecconi are all out. Bieber is working his way back in a throwing program, Cecconi should be headed on a rehab soon and John Means was just placed on the 60-day IL

Pirates: Nick Gonzales, just back to putting weight on his ankle. Jared Jones, just had a clean scan, should start on some kind of progression soon. Johan Oviedo, new scan coming up on his LAT and elbow to determine path forward. Endy Rodriguez is out with a severe laceration on his finger that required stitches, should be out for the 15 days, but back to MLB isn’t a guarantee. Spencer Horwitz is about to embark on a rehab.

The Pirates have struggled on offense in general this season, but never more than when Mitch Keller is pitching. In fact, they haven’t scored a single run for him in his last two outings.