ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Cleveland Guardians have overcome plenty of obstacles this postseason, but they'll face their biggest challenge Monday night when they take on the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series. Trailing 3-2, Cleveland must win twice on the road to advance to the World Series.
The Guardians have been here before. They rallied from a 2-0 deficit against the Chicago White Sox in the ALDS, winning three straight games to advance. But if Cleveland hopes to repeat that comeback, its offense will need to show up against a Tampa Bay pitching staff that has been outstanding throughout the series.
The Guardians have scored just four runs in their last two games, both losses, and managed only five hits in Sunday's 3-1 defeat. Tampa Bay starter Drew Rasmussen allowed one run on four hits over seven innings, striking out six before turning the game over to the bullpen.
Another Difficult Pitching Matchup
Unfortunately for Cleveland, things aren't getting any easier. The Rays will start Freddy Peralta in Game 6, the same pitcher who held the Guardians scoreless over six innings in Tampa Bay's Game 2 victory.
Peralta has been outstanding down the stretch, posting a 6-0 record and a 0.79 ERA over his last nine appearances dating back to August 26. He also made a brief relief appearance in Game 4 on Saturday.
The Guardians have relied on timely hitting throughout the season, including the post season. That approach has helped get them within two victories of the World Series, but their lack of consistant production has become a serious problem against Tampa Bay.
Cleveland has struggled to string together hits, and even when runners reach base, the Guardians have had difficulty bringing them home. Sunday's lone run came on a Chase DeLauter groundout in the sixth inning.
Pitching Staff Faces Another Challenge
Cleveland's pitching situation adds another complication. Manager Stephen Vogt confirmed that Gavin Williams will not pitch Game 6 on short rest, leaving the Guardians to piece together a pitching plan with their season on the line.
Slade Cecconi is a possible opener, while Joey Cantillo and Tanner Bibee are among the pitchers who could be asked to provide multiple innings. Williams remains a potential starter for Game 7, but Cleveland has to get there first.
The Guardians used six pitchers Sunday after Parker Messick lasted just two innings. Their bullpen kept Tampa Bay scoreless after the third, giving Cleveland an opportunity to come back. Unfortunately, the offense never provided enough support.
With no off-day between Games 5 and 6 because of Friday's rainout, Cleveland will need another strong performance from its pitching staff while finding a way to score enough runs to survive.
Time for the Offense to Deliver
The Guardians don't necessarily need an offensive explosion Monday night. They've shown throughout the season that they can win close games with strong pitching, good defense, and timely hitting.
But they need something more than what they've produced the past two games. José Ramírez, Steven Kwan, Chase DeLauter, and the rest of Cleveland's lineup must find a way to generate consistent scoring opportunities against Peralta and Tampa Bay's bullpen.
Cleveland has already shown it can win three consecutive elimination games this postseason. Now the Guardians need two more, beginning Monday night at Tropicana Field.
If their pitching can keep the game close, the offense needs to do its part. Otherwise, an impressive postseason run will come to an end just two victories short of the World Series.
What's Next
Game 6 of the ALCS begins Monday at 8:08 p.m. ET at Tropicana Field, with coverage on TBS and HBO Max. A Cleveland victory would force a decisive Game 7 on Tuesday, while a Tampa Bay win would send the Rays to the World Series to face a red-hot Milwaukee Brewers squad.
