Cleveland Guardians' series win streak will face tough test against visiting New York Yankees

The Cleveland Guardians could not have asked for a better way to begin the 2024 season. Winners of nine of their first 12 games, and winning their first four series to start the season, their hot start will be put to the test with the New York Yankees coming to town.

The Yankees currently possess the best record in baseball, with 10 wins and just three losses, just one more win than the Guardians so far. Cleveland does hold the advantage in both the runs scored department (69-61), and runs allowed (34-46). Interestingly enough, the Guardians have more extra-base hits than the Yankees, with a slight 35-32 edge, the difference here being Cleveland having three triples while New York has zero.

Guardians pitching has mostly been better so far, with fewer hits allowed (83-96), a better OBA (.215-.219), with marginal advantage in WHIP (1.19-1.22), and more strikeouts (120-98). Some of this can be attributed to the Yankees having 11 more innings pitched than the Guardians, but not all. There is one area in which Cleveland does not hold the advantage, as New York's pitching staff owns a slightly better ERA so far (2.67-2.69).

There is something else that needs to be noted here when it comes to this upcoming three-game set. Cleveland has not taken a series from New York since late in the 2021 season. The Yankees have won five consecutive series against the Guardians (including the postseason), and that is hard to ignore. Yes, the teams are different now and there are players who were on those rosters that are no longer with either team. However, the Yankees just seem to have the Guardians' number.

This is not to say that there is no hope for the Guardians in this series, as the games are yet to be played and anything can still happen. However, Cleveland's recent struggles against New York cannot be ignored and must be pointed out. The Guardians have a chance to turn things around in their favor this weekend and prove to the baseball world that their impressive start is very much a legitimate one.