Guardians vs. Yankees Prediction & Top Bets (June 4, 2025)
The Yankees took Tuesday night’s opener 3–2 behind six innings from Carlos Rodón, and Gleyber Torres and Juan Soto came through with base hits. Clarke Schmidt will start Game 2; he’s allowed just two earned runs in three of his last four showings. He kept walks low and prevented runners from scoring despite pitching from behind in the count.
Cleveland will send out Luis Ortiz, who hasn’t made it out of the fifth in any of his last three starts. He gave up seven hits and four runs to the Angels his last time out and has had a hard time getting swings and misses when working up in the zone.
The Guardians went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position in the opener and have hit only .206 in those spots in their last four games. The Yankees have scored in the first three innings in six straight and have 12 extra-base hits between Aaron Judge and Soto in the last week. If Ortiz doesn’t manage traffic early—by the third or fourth inning—Cleveland could drop another one in the Bronx.
Game Overview
- Matchup: Cleveland Guardians (32–27) vs. New York Yankees (37–22)
- Date & Time: Wednesday, June 4, at 7:05 pm ET
- Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
- Broadcast: Amazon Prime Video
- Weather: Clear skies, Wind: 9.2 mph, 81.1 °F
Betting Odds & Lines
The latest betting odds and lines are below, courtesy of BetMGM:
| Team | Run Line | Moneyline | Total Runs |
|---|---|---|---|
Guardians | +1.5 (-130) | +155 | Over 8.5 (-135) |
Yankees | -1.5 (+165) | -185 | Under 8.5 (+115) |
- Win Probability: Yankees 67.7% | Guardians 32.3%
Starting Pitchers
Who’s throwing tonight? Ortiz for the Guardians and Schmidt for the Yanks.
Cleveland Guardians: Luis Ortiz (RHP)
- Record: 2–6
- ERA: 4.40
- WHIP: 1.43
- Innings Pitched: 59.1
- Strikeouts: 64
- Walks: 30
- Home Runs Allowed: 7
NY Yankees: Clarke Schmidt (RHP)
- Record: 2–2
- ERA: 3.95
- WHIP: 1.27
- Innings Pitched: 43.1
- Strikeouts: 42
- Walks: 20
- Home Runs Allowed: 5
Team Performance Snapshot
Which team is playing better baseball? Overall, the Yankees have the Guardians beat. Look below for how they compare!
| Category | Yankees | Guardians |
|---|---|---|
Batting Average | .258 | .234 |
Runs Scored | 322 | 237 |
Home Runs | 97 | 61 |
On-Base Percentage (OBP) | .343 | .307 |
Slugging Percentage (SLG) | .467 | .378 |
Team ERA | 3.58 | 4.05 |
WHIP | 1.18 | 1.38 |
Players to Watch
Will there be any players who knock it out of the proverbial park during the game? Here’s who we’re clocking:
Cleveland Guardians
- José Ramírez (3B): .330 AVG, 11 HR, 29 RBI
- Carlos Santana (1B): .262 AVG, 7 HR, 29 RBI
- Steven Kwan (LF): .308 AVG, 5 HR, 21 RBI
New York Yankees
- Aaron Judge (RF): .387 AVG, 21 HR, 50 RBI
- Cody Bellinger (LF): .253, 8 HR, 32 RBI
- Anthony Volpe (SS): Volpe is doing work lately and is contributing big to his team
Recent Trends & Insights
The Guardians came up short, and the Yankees got just enough at the plate and hung on through the final innings. Clarke Schmidt gets the ball for New York next, and Cleveland will attempt to tie up the series behind Luis Ortiz.
Guardians
Cleveland dropped the opener 3–2 after going 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. They’ve scored three runs in four of their last five games, with limited extra-base damage in close spots. Prior to this series, they wrapped up a 4–2 win against the Angels behind a José Ramírez homer and 6 2⁄3 innings of one-hit ball from Gavin Williams.
Yankees
New York has won 11 of its last 15 at Yankee Stadium and keeps striking in the early innings; they’ve scored first in six straight. They beat Cleveland behind Carlos Rodón’s six innings of two-run work and a go-ahead RBI double from Gleyber Torres in the sixth. This was after closing out the Dodgers series with a 7–3 win, where DJ LeMahieu went 4-for-4 and Ryan Yarbrough gave them six.
Pitching Matchup
Luis Ortiz (2–6, 4.40 ERA) gets the ball for Cleveland. He’s allowed three earned runs in three straight starts and issued nine walks during those games. Clarke Schmidt (2–2, 3.95 ERA) counters for the Yankees and has held opponents to two earned runs or fewer in three of his last four outings.
Injuries
Giancarlo Stanton is still out with elbow inflammation and is on the 60-day IL. The Yankees bullpen is also down Luke Weaver, who’s dealing with a hamstring strain. Fernando Cruz might be activated to fill a relief spot.
Best Bets
Where do we think the value is in this matchup? Look below for our best bet picks!
- Yankees -1.5 (+165) – If Schmidt can pitch into the sixth inning and the bullpen doesn’t whiff it, New York has enough run production to cover.
- Over 8.5 Runs (-135) – There are a lot of questions about Ortiz’s control, and New York devours fastballs. If Cleveland adds anything, this number has a really strong chance of hitting.
- Aaron Judge Homers – Judge has already launched 21 homers so far this season, and Yankee Stadium’s right-field setup works in his favor. Since Ortiz’s walk rate and tendency to leave pitches up is, all it takes is one pitch in the wrong spot and see ya!
Closing Thoughts & Betting Recap
Schmidt has been much better lately at working out of traffic, and if he keeps the ball in the yard? Cleveland’s lineup ranks near the bottom of the league in home runs, so he should get through five or six innings. Ortiz has walked seven batters during his last two outings, and if he puts runners on for Judge or Soto, it won’t take much to put runs on the scoreboard.
We like the Yankees -1.5 at plus money and will ride the over if lineups stay locked and loaded. Judge to homer again is always in play because he’s been hitting rockets, and Ortiz, um, has some control issues when he’s on the mound.
Final Score Prediction: Yankees 6, Guardians 3
– New York takes control by the fifth inning
– Schmidt gives them five innings with only a couple of runs allowed before turning it over
– Cleveland gets runners on base early but can’t quite deliver with men in scoring position
Don’t just watch the game—bet it! Head over to our recommended betting sites and get your wager in.
