Pittsburgh Pirates vs Cleveland Guardians Preview
Today's Starting Matchup
Today's starting pitching matchup features Pittsburgh Pirates's Paul Skenes (8-8, 3.57 ERA) against Cleveland Guardians's Joey Cantillo (8-4, 3.56 ERA).
Both starters carry similar ERAs, setting the stage for a potential pitchers' duel. WHIP: Paul Skenes 1.02, Joey Cantillo 1.40.
Advanced metrics: Paul Skenes — FIP 2.88, K% 29.5%, 108.3 IP / Joey Cantillo — FIP 4.08, K% 24.4%, 101.0 IP
Team Season Comparison
2026 season record: Pittsburgh Pirates 51-48 (.515), Cleveland Guardians 52-47 (.525).
Recent form: Pittsburgh Pirates on a 1-game losing streak, Cleveland Guardians on a 1-game win streak.
Based on starting pitching, Cleveland Guardians holds the edge.
Bullpen Analysis
Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen: 14 relievers on the active roster. Key arms: Brandon Eisert 6.44 ERA, 34K in 29.1IP, Braxton Ashcraft 3.49 ERA, 128K in 113.1IP, Bubba Chandler 4.77 ERA, 85K in 94.1IP.
Cleveland Guardians bullpen: 14 relievers on the active roster. Key arms: Cade Smith (Closer) 2.84 ERA, 63K in 44.1IP, Colin Holderman (Setup) 1.73 ERA, 40K in 36.1IP, Erik Sabrowski (Setup) 3.54 ERA, 48K in 28.0IP.
Win Probability
Projected win probability: Pittsburgh Pirates 48% vs Cleveland Guardians 52%
Factors: Cleveland Guardians's starter owns the lower ERA, Cleveland Guardians's home-field advantage. Of course, baseball's inherent randomness means actual results may differ.
Key Tactical Points
Workload comparison: Paul Skenes averages 5.4 IP per start vs. Joey Cantillo at 5.0 IP. Getting six-plus innings from the starter significantly eases the bullpen burden.
Joey Cantillo has allowed 12 HR this season — a concern against a lineup with extra-base power.