Formula for A Cleveland Guardians Series Win Over Miami Marlins

The Cleveland Guardians are looking for their fifth consecutive series victory this week, but it’s not going to come easily.

The Miami Marlins have been one of the best surprises in baseball this season and have multiple players who are emerging as cornerstones of the franchise and possibly All-Stars later in their careers.

Here is what the Guardians must focus on if they want to win at least two of three games against the National League East team.

Knock Miami’s Starters Out Early

One of Stephen Vogt’s favorite sayings since he took over as manager in 2022 has been, “beat the starter.” That phrase will be crucial against Miami this week.

At the core of the franchise’s turnaround has been their starting pitching, and the Guardians are set to see some of Miami’s best starters over the next three days.

Janson Junk (3.97 ERA) is scheduled to pitch in the series opener, Eury Perez (3.25 ERA) will take the mound in the second game, and Edward Cabrera (3.08 ERA) will be on the mound for Thursday’s finale.

The Guardians must focus on knocking Miami’s starters out early and getting deep into the Marlins’ bullpen. Whether that means being aggressive, swinging early, and doing damage on the base paths, or being patient, working counts, and getting pitch counts up, this must be a priority for Cleveland hitters.

If Cleveland lets Miami’s starters pitch seven to eight innings, which Perez and Cabrera are more than capable of doing, then it could mean trouble for the Guardians’ offense.

Aug 3, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cleveland’s Left-Handed Hitters Will Be Key

Cleveland’s roster is loaded with left-handed hitters. At times this season, that’s caused some issues and complications in Vogt’s lineup construction, but that should play to the Guardians’ advantage against the Marlins.

Not only are Junk, Perez, and Cabrera all right-handed pitchers, but Miami’s bullpen is full of righties as well. The only southpaw reliever the Marlins have is Josh Simpson (6.48 ERA).

As a team, Cleveland’s left-handed hitters have a .316 OBP and a .722 OPS against right-handed pitchers this season. So, this matchup certainly works in the Guardians.

However, there are also some players who should see a lot of playing time and plate appearances against the Marlins.

This many right-handed pitchers means Cleveland’s left-handed hitters, such as Daniel Schneemann, Kyle Manzardo, and CJ Kayfus, should get plenty of opportunities and at-bats throughout the series.

The Guardians need this trio to produce at the plate if they want to grab another series victory, especially with Steven Kwan struggling in the box right now.

Aug 3, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Daniel Schneemann (10) hits a single during the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Don’t Let Kyle Stowers Get Hot

Kyle Stowers may not be a household name yet, but the All-Star is on his way to becoming one of the outfielders in MLB, if he’s not part of that group already.

The 27-year-old is in the middle of a breakout season, recording a slash line of .285/.364/.541 with an OPS of .905, including 18 doubles and 25 home runs. However, Stowers has been in a slight slump over the last few weeks.

In his last 15 games, Stowers has recorded just 13 hits in 58 at-bats (.224 batting average) and has a strikeout rate of 31.6 percent.

The Guardians can’t look at these recent numbers and think they’re safe, though. Stowers has proved multiple times this year that he can take over a game and single-handedly change the outcome with his at-bat.

Knock Miami’s Starters Out Early

Cleveland’s Left-Handed Hitters Will Be Key

Don’t Let Kyle Stowers Get Hot

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