Cleveland Guardians vs Seattle Mariners — Mar 28, 2026 | AI Prediction & Stats

Expect a crisp, low-scoring contest dictated by the two power right-handers. Gavin Williams comes in sharper after a strong spring and an established 3.06 ERA last season; his heavy mid-90s fastball plays up in the cool Seattle air, and his swing-and-miss slider should neutralize left-handed threats like Cal Raleigh and Luke Raley. Williams limits traffic early and the Guardians scratch out a second-inning run when Steven Kwan legs out a double and José Ramírez lines an RBI single past second. George Kirby counters with trademark strike throwing, but Cleveland’s patient order forces a high pitch count. In the fifth, a two-out walk to Bo Naylor sets up Brayan Rocchio, whose gap single plates the Guardians’ second run. Kirby exits after six solid frames (2 ER, 6 K, 1 BB). Seattle finally breaks through in the third when Julio Rodríguez rifles a triple into the right-center alley and is chased home by Randy Arozarena’s sac fly. Williams steadies, working seven innings on 95 pitches, his only other blemish a solo blast by Cal Raleigh in the seventh that knots the game at 2–2 and ends the catcher’s streak of eleven at-bats without a hit. The bullpens decide it. Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt turns to hard-throwing setup man Cade Smith in the seventh, and Tim Herrin gets the key lefties in the eighth. Seattle counters with Gabe Speier, then Andrés Muñoz, but José Ramírez ambushes an elevated slider in the eighth for a run-scoring double, giving Cleveland a 3-2 edge. Closer Connor Brogdon, featuring a 97-mph heater and split-change, retires the side in order in the ninth, fanning Rodríguez to seal it. Cleveland rides sharper pitching and one more timely hit to start 2-0, while Seattle’s offense again shows flashes but not enough finish behind Kirby’s quality outing.