The Cleveland Guardians welcome the Arizona Diamondbacks to Progressive Field on Sunday, August 2, for a 1:40 PM ET afternoon matchup. Gavin Williams gets the ball for Cleveland opposite Arizona veteran Merrill Kelly in what shapes up as a genuine pitching duel. With the regular season in full swing and every game carrying standings weight, this one is far from a throwaway — the Guardians will look to protect home turf against a Diamondbacks lineup that features real top-to-bottom danger.

Probable Pitchers: Gavin Williams vs. Merrill Kelly

Williams is the story on the Cleveland side. The big right-hander has the stuff to dominate on any given day, and outings at Progressive Field give him a familiar backdrop to work with. The Guardians need length and efficiency from their starters, and Williams is capable of delivering both when he's commanding his fastball and keeping hitters off his secondary pitches.

Kelly is a seasoned arm who has made a career of keeping lineups honest. He doesn't overpower hitters, but he locates well and changes speeds effectively. Cleveland's lineup will need patience and discipline to do damage against him.

Cleveland Guardians Lineup

• 1. Steven Kwan, LF
• 2. José Ramírez, DH
• 3. Chase DeLauter, RF
• 4. Travis Bazzana, 2B
• 5. Kyle Manzardo, 1B
• 6. Brayan Rocchio, SS
• 7. Gabriel Arias, 3B
• 8. Patrick Bailey, C
• 9. Petey Halpin, CF

Arizona Diamondbacks Lineup

• 1. Corbin Carroll, RF
• 2. Geraldo Perdomo, SS
• 3. Gabriel Moreno, C
• 4. Ketel Marte, DH
• 5. Max Kepler, LF
• 6. Nolan Arenado, 3B
• 7. Tim Tawa, CF
• 8. Ildemaro Vargas, 2B
• 9. Tyler Locklear, 1B

Keys to Watch

José Ramírez in the Heart of the Order

Ramírez batting second and sliding into the DH role puts his bat in prime position to do damage early. He's the engine of this Cleveland offense. If he gets on base and creates havoc, it opens everything up for DeLauter and Bazzana behind him.

Travis Bazzana Hitting Cleanup

Bazzana slotted into the four hole is a statement about where this organization sees him. Cleanup responsibilities against a veteran pitcher like Kelly will be a real test. How Bazzana handles that pressure is worth tracking closely.

Arizona's Dangerous Top Four

Carroll, Perdomo, Moreno, and Marte represent a legitimate gauntlet for any pitcher. Williams cannot afford to work around the order and let that group beat him with traffic on the bases. First-pitch strikes and getting ahead in counts will be critical.

Petey Halpin at the Bottom of the Order

Halpin batting ninth in center gives Cleveland a second table-setter of sorts. His ability to get on base in front of Kwan and Ramírez can extend innings and put pressure on Kelly late into at-bats.

Prediction

This figures to be a low-scoring game with two capable pitchers on the mound. The edge goes to Cleveland at home. Williams keeps Arizona's dangerous lineup in check through six innings, Ramírez does something memorable in the middle of the game, and the Guardians bullpen closes it out. Guardians 3, Diamondbacks 2.