The Cleveland Guardians head to Great American Ball Park on Wednesday, July 29 for a 7:10 PM ET showdown with the Cincinnati Reds. Left-hander Joey Cantillo gets the ball for Cleveland against right-hander Brady Singer in what shapes up as a pitching-forward affair between two Ohio clubs who know each other well. With the second half of the season in full swing, every game in the standings matters, and this Buckeye State rivalry carries real weight for a Guardians club looking to stack wins on the road.

Pitching Matchup: Cantillo vs. Singer

Joey Cantillo draws the start for the Guardians, and this outing is a genuine measuring stick for the young left-hander. Cantillo has shown flashes of the stuff that made him a prospect worth tracking — a deceptive delivery and a willingness to attack the strike zone — but road starts against a lineup as dynamic as Cincinnati's will test his command and composure. How he handles the top of the Reds order early will set the tone for Cleveland's night.

Brady Singer takes the mound for Cincinnati, and he is no stranger to making things difficult on visiting lineups. Singer works with conviction and can carve up hitters who don't have a disciplined approach at the plate. The Guardians will need patient at-bats and a willingness to work counts if they want to get into Cincinnati's bullpen at a reasonable hour.

Keys to the Game for Cleveland

• Handle Elly De La Cruz early. The Reds lead off with De La Cruz at shortstop, and he is a threat in every dimension — speed, power, and the ability to change the complexion of an inning in a single at-bat. Cantillo needs a plan and must execute it against the switch-hitting shortstop to prevent Cincinnati from building momentum at the top of the order.
• Navigate the middle of Cincinnati's lineup. Eugenio Suárez hits cleanup at DH with Tyler Stephenson behind him at catcher. That combination can do real damage against a left-handed starter who loses the strike zone. Cantillo's ability to keep the ball down and change eye levels will be critical in the third through sixth innings.
• Put pressure on Singer early. Singer can settle in if he's allowed to work in rhythm. The Guardians' best path to a win is disrupting that rhythm — working deep counts, putting runners on base, and forcing Cincinnati's bullpen into the game before Singer finds his groove.
• Limit the running game. With De La Cruz leading off and speed throughout the Reds' lineup, Cleveland's battery must stay sharp on the basepaths. Stolen bases can manufacture runs against even a solid pitching staff.

Prediction

This one figures to be a low-scoring, competitive game. Singer is capable of keeping Cleveland's offense in check, and the Reds' lineup has enough firepower to put pressure on Cantillo from the first inning. That said, the Guardians have shown they can grind through quality starts and find ways to win in tight games. If Cantillo can limit the damage against De La Cruz and the heart of Cincinnati's order, Cleveland has the pieces to steal a road win. Guardians 3, Reds 2.