What happened: The Guardians are promoting the start of what the club is billing as a big series, with the pitching matchup against Davis Martin drawing early attention. Cleveland enters the set pointing to its recent history in the batter-pitcher matchup as a reason for optimism.

Why it matters: Series like this carry weight as teams jockey for position over the long grind of the schedule, and a favorable pitching matchup can help set the tone for the opener. Winning the head-to-head sets can be the difference in tightly contested standings.

What to watch: Watch how the opener unfolds against Davis Martin and whether Cleveland's bats can capitalize on the matchup.