The Milwaukee Brewers and Cleveland Guardians will meet at Progressive Field on May 13, 2025, in an interleague clash featuring two clubs with contrasting momentum and identities as the season enters its middle phase, with the Brewers aiming to claw their way above .500 and the Guardians looking to build on a strong start that has them firmly in AL Central contention. Cleveland enters this game with a 20-14 record and winners in 12 of their last 18 contests, thanks to consistent starting pitching, a highly efficient bullpen, and an offense that thrives on situational execution and veteran leadership from All-Star Jose Ramirez, who continues to anchor the lineup with his blend of contact and power. Supporting him are key contributors like Josh Naylor and Andres Gimenez, who have added timely hits and defensive steadiness that have kept the Guardians competitive in close games. On the mound, Ben Lively has quietly become a dependable rotation piece, coming off a stretch where he allowed just one earned run over his last 11 innings, giving Cleveland stability beyond the top of the rotation and setting up the bullpen for success. That bullpen, led by Emmanuel Clase and Sam Hentges, has been one of the best in the majors at locking down late leads, a critical advantage for a team that wins through precision more than power. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Brewers arrive at 17-18 and are still searching for consistent form, with an offense that has alternated between breakout innings and long droughts, and a bullpen that has struggled to protect leads in high-leverage spots.

Jackson Chourio has provided flashes of the elite talent that made him one of baseball’s top prospects, while Brice Turang has emerged as a top-of-the-order presence, combining speed and contact to pressure opposing pitchers. Freddy Peralta is expected to start for the Brewers, and he’s been solid of late, allowing just two earned runs over his last 12 innings and keeping Milwaukee in games despite inconsistent offensive support. The Brewers’ biggest issue has been stringing together quality innings from both the offense and pitching staff simultaneously, and their 4.45 team ERA reflects a club still working through rotation questions and bullpen usage under manager Craig Counsell. From a betting perspective, the Guardians have been profitable on the moneyline, particularly at home, while Milwaukee has historically performed well against Cleveland, going 8-1 in their last nine head-to-head matchups. The key to this game will likely come down to execution in the middle innings—can the Brewers scratch together enough runs before Cleveland’s elite bullpen takes over, or will the Guardians continue to ride their formula of clean defense, clutch hitting, and shutdown relief? In a matchup that could tilt on one or two big swings or defensive miscues, Cleveland’s current momentum and home-field edge give them the upper hand, but if Peralta delivers and Chourio can spark the lineup early, Milwaukee has the tools to pull off a much-needed road win and halt the Guardians’ surge.