Rays vs. Guardians prediction: Why Cleveland is favored to win Saturday's Game 5 [2026]
Dimers' simulation model projects a 50.1% win probability for the Guardians at Progressive Field.

MLB Playoffs action continues on Saturday at 8:08 PM ET as the Tampa Bay Rays take on the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field.
Shawn Armstrong (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will start for the Guardians, while the Rays have opted for Nick Martinez (0-0, 4.91 ERA).
Dimers' advanced MLB model gives the Guardians a slight edge with a 50.1% win probability over the Rays.
This article offers a complete Rays vs. Guardians prediction, including best bets and picks.
Rays vs. Guardians prediction and odds
Our leading predictive model currently gives the Guardians a 50.1% chance of beating the Rays in Game 5 of the series. According to our model, the Guardians (+1.5) have a 64.1% chance of covering the run line, while the over/under total of 6.5 runs has a 56.1% chance of going over.
Latest betting odds
We have sourced the best MLB odds in America for this game, which are listed here:
- Run Line: Rays -1.5 (+178) / Guardians +1.5 (-185)
- Moneyline: Rays -104, Guardians +105
- Total: Over/Under 6.5 (-104/+104)
All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.
Model picks and best bet for Game 5
After matching our predictions against the best available odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets in this matchup. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:
- Run line: Rays -1.5 @ 36¢ via Polymarket
- Moneyline: Guardians @ +105 via Caesars
- Total: Over 6.5 @ 51¢ via Novig
According to our MLB best bets, the top play to make on this game is Over 6.5 total runs.
These picks are based on our probabilities matched against the implied probabilities from the current available odds.
Game info & first pitch details
Saturday's MLB Game 5 between the Guardians and Rays at Progressive Field is scheduled to commence at 8:08 PM ET.
- Who: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cleveland Guardians
- Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
- Time: 8:08 PM ET/5:08PM PT
- Venue: Progressive Field
Conclusion
We predict the Guardians, with a 50.1% win probability, will likely beat the Rays in Saturday's MLB matchup.
Additional tools and information for betting safely can be found in our Responsible Gambling hub.
This article's predictions and probabilities are generated by Dimers' proprietary MLB prediction model. Our editorial team reviews the resulting content for accuracy and presentation before publication.



