Slade Cecconi gets the start for the Cleveland Guardians, his 23rd of the season. The 26-year-old is 7-6 with a 4.15 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 128 2/3 innings pitched. His last start came against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday, when the righty threw seven scoreless innings while surrendering two hits.

(AP) — The Texas Rangers will aim to end their four-game road skid in a matchup against the Cleveland Guardians. Cleveland has an 86-73 record overall and a 43-35 record in home games. The Guardians have gone 28-15 in games when they hit at least two home runs.

The Texas Rangers (80-79) and the Cleveland Guardians (86-73) open a 3-game series Friday. First pitch from Progressive Field is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET (MLB Network). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's MLB odds around the Rangers vs. Guardians odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

The aphorism “a rising tide lifts all boats” usually refers to positive economic news. It can refer to baseball as well. Specifically, the Guardians, who are on the hot streak of hot streaks, are the rising tide.

A Guardians' win and Astros' loss on Thursday would clinch a playoff spot for the second consecutive season for the first time since 2017-1