Guardians vs Yankees Preview: Pitching Showdown in NYC

The Guardians came to Yankee Stadium hungry and got the job done in back-to-back wins. On Sunday they won 9-4, and on Tuesday they grabbed a 5-4 victory in a tight battle. Look at the power they showed: José Ramírez smashed two homers. Manzardo and Hoskins also went deep. The Yankees fought back with their own hits, but Cleveland's bats stayed hotter down the stretch. Now the Guardians sit at 36-27 on the season. They're riding momentum here in New York, and that matters big time heading into Thursday's matchup.

The Yankees are 36-25 this season but they just dropped their last two games. That stings. They've got Aaron Judge dealing with rib soreness, and nobody knows if he'll play Thursday. Giancarlo Stanton is working his way back from a calf injury. These are two huge bats the Yanks need. Carlos Rodón takes the mound for New York and he has to deliver big. If Rodón can pitch strong and keep Cleveland's hitters off balance, the Yankees have a real chance to bounce back and even this series up.

Cleveland's pitching staff is the real story here. The Guardians have built something special with arms like Gavin Williams and Tanner Bibee leading the way. Behind them, Slade Cecconi takes the mound Thursday night ready to compete. Joey Cantillo adds depth too. This rotation keeps Cleveland in games night after night. The bullpen with Cade Smith closing out games makes things even tougher on opponents. If Cecconi throws strikes and keeps the Yankees bats quiet, Cleveland can grab another win and take control of this series heading forward.