Bryan Armetta offers up a preview, prediction and pick for Tuesday’s game between the Cleveland Guardians vs. Houston Astros.

After dropping ten straight games, the Guardians got back in the win column on Monday. Still, it took ten innings for the team to earn a 7-5 victory. A World Series-caliber Astros squad will look to get revenge tonight with Hunter Brown taking the mound. Will Cleveland find a way to score against Houston’s ace? Below, I’ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Tuesday’s battle between the Guardians and Astros.

The Astros are heavy favorites (-208) over the Guardians, with the over/under set at seven runs. Let’s break down which side has the edge on DraftKings Sportsbook entering tonight’s matchup.

Guardians vs. Astros prediction, preview

It’s an uphill battle for any club against Hunter Brown. The 26-year-old has been unhittable this season, recording a 1.82 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 126 strikeouts over 104.0 innings. The righty has allowed more than three earned runs only once over seven starts. That includes a 5.1-inning, one-run outing vs. the Guardians on June 7th. That outing, while impressive, was nothing new for Cleveland. The team scored only 72 runs last month, by far the lowest mark in baseball.

Cleveland’s offensive struggles can’t be understated. Only two hitters in this lineup have a wRC+ over 100: Jose Ramirez (136) and Steven Kwan (119). This season, the Guardians have the second-lowest batting average (.227) and fifth-lowest OPS (.678) against right-handed pitching. The team’s pitching has been shaky as well. Only one Guardians starter, Gavin Williams, has notched an ERA below 4.00. The bullpen, while still solid, is no longer an elite unit.

Tonight’s starter, Joey Cantillo, is relatively unproven. The second-year pro has made 22 appearances (one start) this season. During that time, he’s logged a solid 3.41 ERA. However, the southpaw’s WHIP (1.39) and FIP (4.16) suggest that he’s gotten somewhat lucky. Tuesday presents quite the challenge for Cleveland’s young hurler. Over their past ten games, only the Red Sox have scored more runs than the Astros (63). In 2025, Houston owns the league’s third-highest OPS against left-handed pitching (.795). There isn’t much history for the hosts against Cantillo. However, second baseman Jose Altuve has gone 2-for-3 against the 25-year-old.

Guardians vs. Astros pick, best bet

Best Bet: Astros -0.5 first five innings (-140)

At -208, there isn’t much value on the Astros’ money line. However, it’s difficult to trust the Guardians given their recent struggles. To get some value, first five innings appears like the safest choice. Brown is poised for another terrific start, while Cleveland needs Cantillo to eat innings after Monday’s ten-inning marathon. Only a few Houston runs should be enough to deliver on this bet.