Cincinnati Reds vs Cleveland Guardians - Prediction & Match Preview - February 25 | MLB Spring Training 2023

The Cleveland Guardians will square off against the Cincinnati Reds in a pre-season glimpse of the battle of Ohio on Saturday, Feb. 25. The Guardians are the MLB's youngest sid, and got a taste of last year's postseason, battling all the way to the ALDS, where they eventually lost to the New York Yankees.

The Reds, meanwhile, started off the 2022 season with one of the worst April records ever. They eventually finished with a record of 62-100, 31 games behind the top spot in their division.

The two teams are set to kick off their preseason at their shared spring training facility in Arizona, Goodyear Ballpark. The first pitch is set to be thrown at 1:05 pm local time.

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The Cleveland Guardians will be energized after last season's success

Clutch was the word that best described first baseman Josh Naylor's 2022 season. The 25-year-old Canadian hit 20 home runs and 79 RBIs in his first full season and led the MLB in walk-off home runs.

"The greatest third baseman in Cleveland baseball history." - @ Guardians of the Land

2022 AL doubles leader Jose Ramirez was also an impeccable hitter for the Cleveland Guardians last season. Entering his 11th season for the team, the 30-year-old third signed a seven-year extension worth $140 million last year. He will be looking for his third straight 100+ RBI season.

Here is the projected lineup for the Cleveland Guardians in Saturday's game

1. LF Steven Kwan
2. SS Amed Rosario
3. 3B Jose Ramirez
4. DH Josh Bell
5. 2B Andres Gimenez
6. 1B Josh Naylor
7. RF Oscar Gonzalez
8. C Mike Zunino
9. CF Myles Straw

Fans will also be getting their first glimpse at Josh Bell, who looks set to take over the DH spot for the Cleveland Guardians. Bell was traded from the Washington Nationals to the San Diego Padres along with young phenom Juan Soto. Following the end of the year, Bell signed a one-year deal worth $16.5 million with Cleveland.

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The Cincinnati Reds are hoping for a complete 180 in 2023

Although the Cincinnati Reds finished with a better record than was expected, it was still fairly dismal.

The team finished in the MLB's bottom 10 in runs and hits. Their pitching was also unable to stop the opposition from scoring. The Reds had a team ERA of 4.86, placing them 28th out of 30 MLB teams.

Wil Myers, who won the 2013 Rookie of the Year Award with the Tampa Bay Rays, will be making his debut for the franchise on Saturday. Myers' production has slowed to a mere trickle of what it used to be.

Last year, the 31-year-old hit .261/.315/.398 with only seven home runs and 41 RBIs. Myers signed a one-year deal worth $7.5 million with the Cincinnati Reds this past offseason.

Meanwhile, Joey Votto is set to miss the first few games of the preseason as he recovers from shoulder surgery. Votto won the 2010 MVP Award with the Reds and is widely regarded with Pete Rose as one of the best players in franchise history.

"17 years of Joseph Daniel Votto" - @ Cincinnati Reds

Let's take a look at how the Cincinnati Reds might look in their pre-season debut.

1. DH TJ Friedl
2. 2B Jonathan India
3. C Tyler Stephenson
4. 1B Wil Myers
5. CF Jake Fraley
6. 3B Spencer Steer
7. SS Kevin Newman
8. LF Stuart Fairchild
9. RF Albert Amora

If last season is anything to pass judgment by, it looks as though the Cleveland Guardians will handily claim a victory against their cross-state rivals. The two teams are not set to face each other in the regular season until mid-August in Cincinnati.