Cleveland Guardians @ Boston Red Sox Player Props, Picks and Predictions - 9/2/2025 6:45 PM EDT

We have your Cleveland Guardians @ Boston Red Sox prop betting and game preview needs covered as the Cleveland Guardians hit the road to face the Boston Red Sox.

Game Info

Date: 2025-09-02
Time: 6:45 PM EDT
Location: Fenway Park, Boston
TV: ESPN+

Cleveland Guardians @ Boston Red Sox Preview

The Cleveland Guardians (68-68) head to Fenway Park looking to bounce back after a 6-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox in the series opener. The Guardians are currently third in the AL Central and have struggled recently, holding a 4-6 record over their last 10 games and riding a two-game losing streak. On the mound for Cleveland will be Slade Cecconi (5-6, 4.41 ERA), who has had a tough stretch, failing to record a win since mid-July and carrying a 5.35 ERA over his last seven outings. Offensively, the Guardians will rely on key players like José Ramírez, who boasts a .280 batting average and 26 home runs, and Kyle Manzardo, who has been hot with three home runs in his last four games, bringing his season total to 24. Steven Kwan also showed signs of life with three hits in the last game. Cleveland's pitching staff has a respectable 3.94 ERA (14th in MLB) and has allowed the 10th fewest home runs this season.

The Boston Red Sox (77-62) are in strong form, sitting second in the AL East with a 7-3 record over their last 10 games and a two-game winning streak. They are coming off a clutch 6-4 victory over the Guardians, highlighted by Trevor Story's home run and Carlos Narvaez's game-winning pinch-hit single. Boston's offense is potent, ranking 5th in batting average (.253) and 6th in on-base percentage (.324), and they lead the league in doubles with 276. Starting for the Red Sox is Garrett Crochet (14-5, 2.40 ERA), who has been an elite arm this season. While his ERA has slightly cooled to 3.38 over his last four starts, his career numbers against Cleveland are impressive, with a 1.17 ERA across 12 appearances. The Red Sox pitching staff as a whole ranks 3rd in ERA (3.69) and 2nd in quality starts (65).

Both teams are dealing with several injuries. For the Red Sox, key players like Marcelo Mayer, Liam Hendriks, Tanner Houck, Patrick Sandoval, Josh Winckowski, Kutter Crawford, and Triston Casas are on the 60-Day IL. The Guardians are without John Means, Emmanuel Clase, Lane Thomas, and Will Brennan, all on the IL, while Gabriel Arias, Chase DeLauter, and Tanner Burns are day-to-day.

Historic Head-to-Head Stats and Analysis

The Boston Red Sox have held the upper hand in the 2025 season series against the Cleveland Guardians, leading 2-1. The Red Sox have won the last two consecutive games against the Guardians. Historically, the Red Sox have a favorable record against Cleveland, securing 48 total wins (20 at home) compared to the Guardians' 39 total wins (15 on the road).

Pick: Boston Red Sox -1.5

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The Boston Red Sox enter this matchup with significant momentum, having won their last two games and boasting a strong 7-3 record over their last 10 outings. Their offense has been particularly clutch, ranking among the league leaders in batting average, on-base percentage, and doubles. This offensive firepower is a key factor against a Guardians team that has been struggling to find consistency.

On the pitching side, the Red Sox have a distinct advantage with Garrett Crochet on the mound. Crochet has been dominant this season with a 2.40 ERA and a 14-5 record, and he has a stellar 1.17 career ERA against the Guardians. In contrast, Cleveland's starter, Slade Cecconi, has been in a slump, with a 4.41 ERA on the season and a 5.35 ERA over his last seven starts, failing to secure a win since mid-July. This pitching mismatch, combined with Boston's hot bats, creates a compelling case for the Red Sox to win by more than one run.

Sharp money also aligns with this pick, showing a 70.2% sharp win percentage on the Red Sox moneyline and a 52.4% sharp win percentage on the Red Sox -1.5 spread. Our model projects a final score of Red Sox 5, Guardians 3, which comfortably supports Boston covering the -1.5 run line. Given the Red Sox's strong form, home-field advantage, and superior pitching matchup, betting on them to cover the spread at -1.5 offers excellent value.

Top Player Prop Picks

Kyle Manzardo (CLE) - Bases Over 0.5

Kyle Manzardo has been on a tear recently, hitting the over on his bases prop in 80% of his last 5 games and 80% of his last 10 games, with mean bases of 2.8 and 1.8 respectively. For the season, he's hit the over in 59.32% of his games, averaging 1.54 bases. Against the Red Sox in 2025, he's hit the over in 66.67% of his appearances, averaging 1.67 bases. As a visitor, he's hit the over in 62.71% of his games this season, averaging 1.61 bases. Fenway Park is also known to be a batter-friendly park, which could further benefit Manzardo. Given his recent surge and favorable matchup trends, taking the over on 0.5 bases for Manzardo at odds of -140 on [Caesars](https://ui.sharpsports.io/place/MRKT_0fa29bc5875d4224b6372df979a76b70/BOOK_IPBQaQQTCRxplZx7SYOA?line=0.5) is a strong play.

Roman Anthony (BOS) - Hits Over 0.5

Roman Anthony has been a consistent hitter for the Red Sox, hitting the over on his hits prop in 80% of his last 5 games and 80% of his last 10 games, averaging 1.4 hits in both stretches. His season hit rate for this prop stands at an impressive 68.57%, with an average of 1.06 hits per game. Notably, in his single appearance against the Guardians in 2025, he hit the over 100% of the time, averaging 2.0 hits. When playing at home this season, he's hit the over in 65.71% of his games, also averaging 1.06 hits. With Fenway Park being a favorable environment for hitters and Anthony's strong recent and season-long performance, the over on 0.5 hits at -250 odds on [BetRivers](https://ui.sharpsports.io/place/MRKT_bb7706a930cd46a386aaccbc60c92ac8/BOOK_88064cc6787c47ccbd4bbb036c7f55c5?line=0.5) is a confident pick.

Roman Anthony (BOS) - Bases Over 1.5

Building on his strong hitting performance, Roman Anthony also presents a compelling case for the over on his bases prop. He's hit the over on 1.5 bases in 60% of his last 5 games (averaging 2.0 bases) and 70% of his last 10 games (averaging 2.4 bases). For the season, he's hit the over in 55.71% of his games, with an average of 1.69 bases. His single 2025 appearance against the Guardians saw him hit the over 100% of the time, averaging 2.0 bases. At home, he's hit the over in 54.29% of his games, averaging 1.57 bases. Given these consistent trends and the batter-friendly nature of Fenway Park, the odds of +110 on [BetRivers](https://ui.sharpsports.io/place/MRKT_4daa657fb8df4f5a86f662be1a3d7b63/BOOK_88064cc6787c47ccbd4bbb036c7f55c5?line=1.5) for him to get over 1.5 bases offer excellent value.