New York Mets vs Cleveland Guardians Picks and Prediction for Wednesday August 5 2026

The New York Mets will face the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, on Wednesday evening. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET, with SNY and Guardians.TV providing television coverage. New York entered Tuesday with a 47-66 record, including a 22-32 mark on the road, while Cleveland stood at 57-56. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Before placing your wagers, check out our free MLB picks for additional baseball predictions throughout the season.

Starting Pitchers

Nolan McLean is expected to start for New York opposite Cleveland right-hander Slade Cecconi. McLean enters with a 7-7 record, a 3.29 ERA, and 148 strikeouts. Cecconi owns a 4-7 record with a 4.78 ERA and 84 strikeouts. The Mets possess the stronger starting-pitching profile based on those numbers. McLean has been much more effective at preventing runs and missing bats, giving the visitors a meaningful advantage during the early innings.

New York Needs Its Offense to Reappear

New York entered this series having lost three consecutive games and four of its previous five. The Mets were shut out 2-0 by Miami on Sunday after scoring only four combined runs during their final three games of the homestand. The recent slide dropped New York to 47-66 overall and left the club at the bottom of the NL East. The Mets have struggled particularly badly away from home, where their 22-32 record demonstrates the difficulty they have experienced producing consistent results.

The Mets are batting .232 with 457 runs, 880 hits, and 131 home runs. New York has added a .303 on-base percentage and a .380 slugging percentage while stealing 56 bases. The power numbers are respectable, but the low batting average and on-base percentage have made it difficult for the lineup to maintain pressure. The Mets have also accumulated 953 strikeouts, meaning too many potentially productive innings have ended without the ball being put into play.

New York’s best opportunity Wednesday comes from pairing McLean’s strong pitching with an improved offensive performance against Cecconi. The Mets do not need to produce a large run total if their starter performs near his season averages. However, they cannot expect McLean to overcome another game in which the lineup generates almost nothing. Cecconi’s 4.78 ERA gives New York an opportunity to score early, and capitalizing on that matchup will be essential.

Cleveland Attempts to Strengthen Its Playoff Position

Cleveland entered Tuesday at 57-56 and in second place in the AL Central. The Guardians had struggled through much of their recent schedule, going 3-7 over their previous ten games, but they closed the weekend with an encouraging 5-0 victory over Arizona. Cleveland received outstanding pitching in that contest and scored three times during the fifth inning to take control. The victory allowed the Guardians to avoid a three-game sweep and return above .500 before hosting New York.

The Guardians are batting .231 with 446 runs, 862 hits, and 109 home runs. Cleveland owns a .310 on-base percentage and a .370 slugging percentage. Although the home team has produced less power than New York, it has drawn 405 walks and stolen 113 bases. That combination allows Cleveland to manufacture scoring opportunities through patience and speed rather than depending exclusively on extra-base hits.

Cleveland’s primary concern is the starting-pitching matchup. Cecconi’s 4.78 ERA is nearly a run and a half higher than McLean’s mark, and the Guardians have not consistently produced enough offense to overcome an early deficit. Cleveland’s speed could become important if it reaches base against McLean, but the visiting starter’s strikeout ability may prevent the Guardians from advancing runners through productive contact. The home team needs Cecconi to keep the Mets within reach until the bullpen can take over.

New York Mets vs Cleveland Guardians Picks and Prediction

• Pick: New York Mets Moneyline

I am taking New York on the moneyline. The Mets have the weaker overall record and entered the series in poor offensive form, but McLean provides them with a substantial advantage on the mound. His 3.29 ERA and 148 strikeouts are considerably stronger than Cecconi’s 4.78 ERA and 84 strikeouts. Cleveland has also struggled recently despite remaining above .500. I expect McLean to limit the Guardians long enough for New York to generate the necessary offense against Cecconi.

• Pick: Under 8.5

I also favor Under 8.5 runs if that becomes the posted total. Neither lineup has been productive consistently, with New York batting .232 and Cleveland hitting .231. The Mets were shut out Sunday and scored only four runs across their final three games of the weekend, while the Guardians have the lowest slugging percentage of the two teams. Cecconi’s elevated ERA creates some danger, but McLean should control Cleveland’s lineup. I expect a competitive, low-scoring game in which New York’s starting-pitching advantage proves decisive.

This game preview was completed prior to game play on Tuesday.