Dodgers vs Guardians: Live Score, Highlights & How to Watch Tonight’s Interleague Showdown

CLEVELAND — A star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers squad opens a three-game set against the up-and-coming Cleveland Guardians tonight at Progressive Field, and the matchup checks every box for searchers hunting “Dodgers vs Guardians” news, live-stream info, odds and fantasy tips. The headline story is the pitchers’ duel: Japanese sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto (5-3, 1.86 ERA) faces Guardians flamethrower Gavin Williams (4-2, 3.94 ERA). Yamamoto has held opponents to a .186 average through his first 58 big-league innings, while Williams owns a 31.2% strikeout rate that can neutralize any lineup. Why this series matters • Division races: Los Angeles (32-21) leads the NL West by 1½ games, but the club just dropped two of three to the Mets and needs a reset on the road. • Cleveland (29-23) sits 4½ back of Detroit in the AL Central after a shutout loss to the Tigers and views this homestand as a statement opportunity. • Interleague intrigue: It’s the Dodgers’ first trip to Cleveland since 2022, meaning fans will see Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman together in an AL park for the first time. Key matchups to watch 1. Shohei Ohtani vs high-octane fastballs – Ohtani leads the NL with 18 homers and is slugging .647 against pitches 96 mph and above. Williams averages 96.4 and loves to elevate. 2. Steven Kwan’s contact game – Cleveland’s table-setter (.320 AVG) rarely whiffs, but Yamamoto’s splitter forces a league-low 17% hard-hit rate. 3. Bullpen chess – The Guardians’ relief corps ranks sixth in MLB ERA (3.23); the Dodgers are without closer Blake Treinen (IL), so fireman Evan Phillips may appear as early as the seventh. How to watch & stream • First pitch: 6:10 p.m. ET, Monday, May 26, 2025 • TV: SportsNet LA (Dodgers), Bally Sports Great Lakes (Guardians) • Streaming: MLB.TV (out of market), Fubo, DirecTV Stream Betting snapshot (via ESPN BET, subject to change) • Moneyline: Dodgers ‑175, Guardians +145 • Run line: LAD ‑1.5 (EVEN) | CLE +1.5 (-120) • Over/Under: 7.5 runs (O ‑105, U ‑115) Trending fantasy/DFS plays • Start: Teoscar Hernández (LAD) – 41 RBI lead the team, and Progressive Field’s short left-field porch plays to his pull power. • Sleeper: Kyle Manzardo (CLE) – quietly pacing Cleveland with 10 HR and draws platoon advantage vs the right-handed Yamamoto. • Fade: Max Muncy (LAD) – batting .210 vs righties and could sit if Dave Roberts opts for a contact bat against Williams’ strikeout profile. Injury updates Dodgers: Michael Kopech (shoulder) and Blake Snell (groin) remain on the 60-day IL. Guardians: Carlos Santana (hamstring) is day to day and may only pinch-hit. Series schedule • Game 1: Monday, May 26 – Yamamoto vs Williams • Game 2: Tuesday, May 27 – Tyler Glasnow vs Triston McKenzie • Game 3: Wednesday, May 28 – Bobby Miller vs Tanner Bibee Bottom line If you’re weighing whether to tune in, consider this: the Guardians boast MLB’s fifth-best home record (14-8), while the Dodgers are just 13-13 away from Chavez Ravine. Factor in two Cy-Young-caliber arms tonight and you have a must-watch, high-SEO matchup poised to shake up both division races.