The Cleveland Guardians head to Tropicana Field on Sunday, July 26 for a 12:15 PM ET afternoon matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays. Left-hander Parker Messick gets the ball for Cleveland against Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen in what shapes up as a pitching-first afternoon on the artificial turf in St. Petersburg. It is a meaningful regular-season contest with playoff positioning implications across both leagues, and the Guardians will need a clean performance to come away with a win in a ballpark that has historically given visiting clubs fits.

Guardians vs. Rays Pitching Matchup: Messick vs. Rasmussen

Parker Messick draws the start for Cleveland. The left-hander has been part of the Guardians rotation and will look to control the strike zone and generate weak contact against a Rays lineup that is built around making pitchers work deep into counts. Drew Rasmussen takes the ball for Tampa Bay. Rasmussen is a veteran of the Rays staff who relies on his ability to attack hitters early and generate ground balls. Neither pitcher has listed ERA or win-loss figures available for this preview, but the pitching matchup figures to be the central storyline of the afternoon.

Tampa Bay Rays Lineup to Watch

The Rays are sending out a lineup with some recognizable names in key spots. Third baseman Junior Caminero bats third, and right fielder Jonny DeLuca hits cleanup. Yandy Díaz leads off as the designated hitter, setting the tone at the top of the order. Cedric Mullins is in center field batting seventh, and catcher Nick Fortes hits eighth. Former Guardian Richie Palacios is penciled in at second base and bats ninth, which will be a name Cleveland fans recognize immediately.

Keys to the Game for Cleveland

• Messick's command early: Tropicana Field's artificial surface rewards hard ground balls and speed. Messick needs to keep the ball out of the middle of the zone and limit free passes that could fuel the Rays offense.
• Handling Caminero and DeLuca: The third and fourth spots in Tampa Bay's lineup represent legitimate run-producing threats. Getting through that part of the order without damage will go a long way toward keeping Cleveland in the game.
• Capitalizing on early-count fastballs: Rasmussen tends to work ahead in counts. The Guardians will need to be aggressive when they get a pitch to drive rather than letting him dictate at-bat lengths.
• Bullpen readiness: If Messick runs into trouble or reaches a pitch limit, Cleveland's bullpen will need to hold the line in a ballpark where runs can come quickly on turf.

Prediction

This game figures to be decided by a run or two. Messick is capable of a quality start if his command is sharp, but the Rays lineup has enough professional hitters to punish any mistakes. Rasmussen is a tough draw for a visiting club. Guardians fans can catch the game on NBCSN and Peacock on television, or tune in to WTAM 1100 or WMMS 100.7 on radio. Give a slight edge to Tampa Bay at home, but Cleveland has the pitching profile to steal this one. Prediction: Rays 4, Guardians 3.