PLAYOFFHOTELS
MLB · JULY 18, 2026 ● LIVE

Pittsburgh Pirates at Cleveland Guardians

Progressive Field · Cleveland, OH

THE PICK

PIT Pittsburgh PiratesAWAY · 1517 ELO
@
Cleveland GuardiansHOME · 1509 ELO CLE
48.8% WIN PROBABILITY 51.2%

The model makes Cleveland Guardians a 51.2% favorite — home advantage included. One game is one game: a 51.2% edge still loses 48.8 times in 100.

Prediction history

13 UPDATES

Every time the model moved this pick — logged in full. It updates until 15 minutes before gametime, then locks.

51.2% Cleveland Guardians ▼ -1.0
Ratings shifted on the latest results run.
52.2% Cleveland Guardians ▼ -0.1
Ratings shifted on the latest results run.
52.3% Cleveland Guardians ▲ +0.2
Ratings shifted on the latest results run.
52.1% Cleveland Guardians ▼ -0.2
Ratings shifted on the latest results run.
52.3% Cleveland Guardians ▲ +0.2
Ratings shifted on the latest results run.
52.1% Cleveland Guardians ▼ -0.2
Ratings shifted on the latest results run.
52.3% Cleveland Guardians ▲ +0.6
Ratings shifted on the latest results run.
51.7% Cleveland Guardians ▼ -0.9
Ratings shifted on the latest results run.
52.6% Cleveland Guardians ▲ +0.3
Ratings shifted on the latest results run.
52.3% Cleveland Guardians ▼ -0.1
Ratings shifted on the latest results run.
52.4% Cleveland Guardians ▼ -0.2
Ratings shifted on the latest results run.
52.6% Cleveland Guardians ▲ +0.3
Ratings shifted on the latest results run.
OPEN
52.3% Cleveland Guardians OPENING LINE
First model run when the matchup posted. Elo gap of 8 points at open.

The factors

3 IN THE NUMBER

Everything the model sees for this game. Only backtest-validated signals move the probability — the rest is context, shown anyway.

PROBABLE STARTERS

Braxton Ashcraft FIP 3.32 · ERA 3.49 · 113.1 IP
Joey Cantillo FIP 4.08 · ERA 3.56 · 101 IP

GAME-TIME CONDITIONS · DAY GAME

84°F DEW 70°F HUM 66% WIND 20 MPH GUSTS 35 MPH CLOUD 94% RAIN 28% 985 hPa

SCHEDULE & TRAVEL

PIT REST 0D CLE REST 0D PIT TRAVELED 0 MI INTERLEAGUE

IN THE NUMBER

WXWIND VARIANCEWXRAIN VARIANCEPITCH -6 ELO

The numbers

AWAY

Pittsburgh Pirates
ELO RATING1517
RANK#10
RECORD50-47
LAST 107-3
STREAKW3

HOME

Cleveland Guardians
ELO RATING1509
RANK#12
RECORD51-46
LAST 106-4
STREAKW4

Ratings come from every MLB result this season — updated daily, weighted by margin of victory, with Cleveland Guardians getting the standard home bump. An Elo difference of 8 points plus home advantage at Progressive Field produces the 51.2% call. Full methodology →

What could break the pick

Pittsburgh Pirates come in hot on a 3-game win streak — recent form the season-long rating hasn't fully priced in. This is a coin-flip game — the model calls it a lean, not a lock. Starting pitchers, lineup cards, and bullpen usage move real outcomes in ways a rating system can’t see.