Cleveland Guardians vs Miami Marlins: Expert Analysis and Betting Predictions for June 8

This weekend marks the first visit by the Cleveland Guardians to LoanDepot Park in Miami since early 2019. Despite Cleveland bringing one of the best records in baseball to a team with one of the poorest, it was Miami who emerged victorious in the first game of the series, winning 3-2.

The second game of the series between the inter-league foes is scheduled to take place on Saturday evening, with an anticipated first pitch at 7:35 pm EDT. Due to the possibility of thunderstorms in the Miami area tonight, it has been announced by the Marlins that the retractable roof at LoanDepot Park will be closed, although that is subject to change.

"good morning - in case you missed it, here’s a recap of last night’s action: - Marlins vs Guardians (3-2)" - Sportsfan

Ben Lively vs Marlins

Six-foot-4 right hander Ben Lively is set to make the start of the Cleveland Guardians. In nine starts this season, the 32-year-old is 5-2 with a 2.84 ERA, and has been credited with four straight win decisions.

"Ben Lively Under 5.5 Strikeouts" - Legacy Looks

Lively's only career outing against the Marlins came while he was playing for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017. Though six innings, Lively earned the win, allowing two runs and seven hits while striking out five.

Roddery Munoz vs Guardians

Roddery Munoz, a 24-year-old Dominican rookie, will make his fourth career MLB start on Saturday. Now 1-1 with a 5.17 ERA this year, Munoz was called up in early June to replace injured pitcher Sixto Sanchez. In his last start on May 6, Munoz was yanked after 4.2 innings for allowing six runs to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Roddery Munoz has never faced the Miami Marlins before.

Guardians vs Marlins Head-to-Head

Before the MLB scheduling changes took hold at the beginning of 2023, these two teams saw very little of each other. Last April, the Marlins took two of three at Progressive Field. Since 2015, Cleveland has won six of the eleven matchups.

Coming into the second game of the series, Cleveland's 40-22 record puts them first in the AL Central, with a comfortable three game lead over the Kansas City Royals. For Miami, the picture is far less rosy, with the team's 22-41 record tying them with the Rockies for the worst record in the NL.

Cleveland Guardians vs Miami Marlins Betting Odds and Analysis

Moneyline Odds:

• Cleveland Guardians: -160

• Miami Marlins: +135

Unsurprisingly, the Cleveland Guardians are heavily favored in this match. Despite the fact that manager Stephen Vogt's club dropped the series opener, Cleveland has scored 311 runs this year, compared to Miami's 230. Moreover, the Guardians have a solid pitching advantage, with an experienced arm going up against an unproven rookie.

Over/Under Total Runs:

• Over Eight: -120

• Under Eight: +100

Cleveland's 5.02 runs per game is third in MLB. While Miami's figure may be far lower, the Guardians' offense has the possibility to tear a game open. As such, bookmakers have placed slightly better odds on the possibility of this game playing host to over eight runs between the two teams.