Minnesota Twins vs Cleveland Guardians Picks and Predictions September 20th 2025

Guardians vs Twins Picks and Predictions — September 20, 2025

The Cleveland Guardians look to extend their late-season surge as they face the Minnesota Twins in a Saturday doubleheader at Target Field. Cleveland (82-71) has stormed back into the AL Central race with eight straight wins, cutting Detroit’s division lead to 2.5 games. Meanwhile, Minnesota (66-87) has dropped three in a row and continues to slide toward the offseason. Recent MLB scoreboards showcase the Guardians’ rise and the Twins’ struggles.

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Game 1 features Cleveland right-hander Slade Cecconi (6-6, 4.39 ERA) against Minnesota’s Joe Ryan (13-8, 3.35 ERA). The Twins are slight home favorites at -123, while the Guardians come in at +104. The total is set at 7.5 runs.

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The Guardians Can Win If…

Cleveland continues to lean on both timely hitting and strong pitching. In Friday’s 6-2 win, Bo Naylor drove in four runs, while Parker Messick punched out nine batters across 5 1/3 innings.

Manager Stephen Vogt isn’t letting his players look past anyone:

“It doesn’t matter who we’re playing,” Vogt said. “We know we have to play flawless baseball to win. Records are not indicative of how good or poor a team is, so our guys are ready to go.”

Cecconi, making his first career start against Minnesota, needs just two strikeouts to reach 100 on the year. His ability to limit walks and pitch deep into games will be key against a Twins team prone to power surges.

The Twins Can Win If…

Minnesota turns to Joe Ryan, who has dominated Cleveland historically with a 2.62 ERA in 11 career appearances. He owns 180 strikeouts in 161 innings this season and could be the stopper the Twins need.

Offensively, Byron Buxton (31 HR) and Brooks Lee will be crucial to sparking run production. Despite their struggles, the Twins still rank 9th in home runs (182) and carry a slugging percentage of .399, showing they can strike quickly.

Manager Rocco Baldelli praised one emerging bright spot, reliever Kody Funderburk, who has tossed seven straight scoreless innings:

“He’s got the stuff to do it,” Baldelli said. “He can consistently make good pitches and throw strikes to both right-handers and left-handers.”

If Ryan sets the tone and the bullpen holds up, Minnesota has a strong chance to even the series.

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The Lean

Model Projection: Twins 5, Guardians 3
Pick: Twins Moneyline (-123)
Total Lean: Over 7.5

Ryan has the track record and form to hold Cleveland in check, and Minnesota’s bats are overdue for a breakout. While the Guardians are riding momentum, the matchup tilts slightly to the Twins at home.

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