MLB Predictions: Will Corey Kluber & Indians shut down Twins? 6/24/17
Will Corey Kluber and the Indians shut down the Twins today when the two teams meet at 4:10PM ET?
The Odds: Twins vs. Indians, 4:10PM ET, Progressive Field
Cleveland heads into play tonight with a 39-33 record overall, but the club is just 15-18 at home this season. Minnesota, meanwhile, is a surprising 37-34 on the season and owns an outstanding 21-9 record on the road. Over the teams’ last 10 games, the Indians are 8-2 while the Twins are just 4-6.
So who’s favored? According to oddsmakers, the Indians are a heavy favorite at -240 on the money line. That makes the Twins a +215 money line underdog to pull off a massive upset. As for the total, the number hit the board at 9 runs but has since been bet up to 9.5.
The Pitching Matchup: Kyle Gibson (MIN) vs. Corey Kluber (CLE)
In his last outing, Gibson allowed three runs on eight hits in loss to this same Indians club. He walked three in the outing but pitched fairly well. Most of the damage came from Edwin Encarnacion, who crushed a solo home run off Gibson in the fourth inning and a two-run blast off him in the sixth. The 29-year-old right-hander owns a 6.56 ERA and a 1.84 WHIP on the year.
As for Kluber, he struck out 11 in a complete-game shutout of the Orioles on Monday. The 31-year-old was outstanding from the outset, throwing 80 of his 108 pitches for strikes while allowing three hits (all of which were singles). He didn’t walk a single batter in this gem, which was his fifth career shutout.
Our Prediction
The Indians are 22-6 in Kluber’s last 28 starts and have won nine of his last 10 outings versus divisional foes. The Tribe is also 8-2 in its last 10 games and has won five of six against rivals from the American League Central.
The Twins, meanwhile, are just 1-4 in their last five games coming off a win. They’ve also struggled to win when Gibson faces divisional foes, dropping four of his last five starts against the rest of the AL Central.
Saturday MLB Prediction: Cleveland Indians -1.5 (-135)
