Rain has disrupted the American League Championship Series, forcing the Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays to rearrange their postseason plans with a trip to the World Series at stake.
Friday night’s Game 4 at Progressive Field was postponed after persistent rain prevented the teams from taking the field. Major League Baseball rescheduled the game for Saturday, October 17, at 7:08 p.m. CT, with Game 5 now scheduled for Sunday afternoon.
Cleveland leads the best-of-seven series 2-1 following Thursday’s 3-2 victory, putting the Guardians two wins away from their first World Series appearance since 2016.
The postponement eliminates Sunday’s scheduled day off. If the ALCS goes seven games, the teams will play four consecutive days, making pitching depth an increasingly important consideration.
Rain Forces Changes to ALCS Schedule
Friday’s game was delayed as heavy rain continued to fall at Progressive Field. Officials waited for conditions to improve, but MLB eventually determined that postponement was necessary.
The series had already experienced a weather-related adjustment. Thursday’s Game 3 was moved to an earlier start because of the forecast, allowing Cleveland and Tampa Bay to complete the game before the worst weather arrived.
That decision proved important for the Guardians, who reclaimed the series lead behind a two-run home run from Petey Halpin and a strong pitching performance from Gavin Williams.
Friday’s postponement means Cleveland will host Games 4 and 5 on consecutive days before the series shifts back to Tropicana Field, if necessary.
For fans attending the games, the schedule change also affects tickets. Those holding tickets for Friday’s originally scheduled Game 4 can use them for Sunday’s Game 5. Tickets for Saturday’s originally scheduled Game 5 will be honored for Saturday’s Game 4.
Both Teams Keep Their Game 4 Pitching Plans
Although the extra day of rest created opportunities to adjust their rotations, both managers have decided to stick with their original Game 4 plans.
Tampa Bay will start right-hander Nick Martinez, while Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt confirmed that Shawn Armstrong will open for the Guardians in a planned bullpen game.
Martinez enjoyed considerable success against Cleveland during the regular season, throwing 13 scoreless innings across two appearances. His 2.38 road ERA was also among the best in the American League.
The rainout would have allowed Tampa Bay to move Drew Rasmussen into Saturday’s starting assignment on normal rest. Instead, the Rays will retain Martinez, leaving Rasmussen positioned to start Game 5 on Sunday.
Cleveland will also maintain its bullpen approach, despite having the option of bringing Foster Griffin back on normal rest.
The extra day could become particularly valuable later in the series. With no remaining scheduled off-days, both clubs must consider how Saturday’s bullpen usage could affect their options for Sunday and any subsequent games.
For Cleveland, protecting its 2-1 advantage without exhausting its relievers will be particularly important. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, needs to generate more offense after being limited to three hits in Thursday’s loss.
Guardians Hold the Advantage
Cleveland entered the ALCS after rallying from a 2-0 deficit to eliminate the Chicago White Sox in the Division Series.
The Guardians carried that momentum into Game 1 against Tampa Bay, winning 7-3 before the Rays responded with a 3-1 victory Tuesday.
Thursday’s Game 3 gave Cleveland the series lead again, with Halpin’s fifth-inning homer providing the decisive runs.
The Guardians are seeking their first American League pennant in a decade and an opportunity to end a World Series championship drought stretching back to 1948.
Tampa Bay has reached the World Series twice, in 2008 and 2020, but has never won a championship.
The Milwaukee Brewers are already waiting after sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. Milwaukee will have a substantial rest advantage, having clinched its pennant Thursday, while the eventual American League champion could have considerably less time to recover.
Updated ALCS Schedule
All times are Central. Games will be televised on TBS and truTV, with streaming available on HBO Max.
Game 4 is scheduled for Saturday, October 17, at 7:08 p.m. CT, followed by Game 5 on Sunday, October 18, at 4:08 p.m. CT. Both games will be played at Progressive Field in Cleveland.
If necessary, Game 6 will take place Monday, October 19, at 7:08 p.m. CT, and Game 7 on Tuesday, October 20, at 7:08 p.m. CT. Both games would be played at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.
The World Series begins Friday, October 23, in Milwaukee, where the Brewers will host the American League champion.
Cleveland retains the advantage, but the postponement introduces another challenge into an already competitive series. With the pitching plans established and the remaining schedule compressed, the next few games will test which club can best manage its pitching staff while producing enough offense to claim the pennant.
