ST. PETERSBURG — The Cleveland Guardians are four victories away from their first World Series appearance since 2016, but standing in their way is a Tampa Bay Rays team that gave them fits throughout the regular season.
After overcoming a 2-0 series deficit to eliminate the Chicago White Sox in the American League Division Series, Cleveland opens the ALCS tonight at Tropicana Field. First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
The Guardians enter the best-of-seven series riding three consecutive victories, while Tampa Bay has enjoyed several days of rest after sweeping the New York Yankees. The Rays also dominated Cleveland during the regular season, winning five of six meetings, including three shutouts.
However, October baseball has a habit of ignoring what happened during the previous six months, and the Guardians have already demonstrated their ability to play clutch baseball.
The Pitching Matchup
Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt will send left-hander Foster Griffin (15-6, 3.60 ERA) to the mound against Tampa Bay right-hander Drew Rasmussen (16-5, 2.67 ERA).
Griffin's start comes after the Guardians were forced to use nearly every available arm to complete their comeback against Chicago. Gavin Williams and Parker Messick both pitched twice during the Division Series, leaving Vogt with limited options for the ALCS opener.
The 31-year-old Griffin delivered an impressive relief performance in Game 3 against Chicago, striking out seven batters over 2? innings while helping Cleveland secure its first victory of the series. His seven strikeouts established a franchise postseason record for a relief pitcher.
Griffin had an uneven regular season after joining Cleveland at the trade deadline. He recorded a 3.06 ERA in 22 starts with Washington before struggling to a 5.19 ERA in nine starts with the Guardians.
Tampa Bay presents a difficult challenge, but there is reason for optimism. The Rays posted a .752 OPS against right-handed pitching during the regular season compared with just .679 against left-handers, giving Griffin a potentially favorable matchup.
Rasmussen, meanwhile, has been one of the American League's most consistent starting pitchers.
The Rays ace finished the regular season with a 2.67 ERA and an American League-leading 0.91 WHIP. He was even better in Game 1 of the ALDS against New York, throwing eight scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out 10.
Cleveland has already experienced Rasmussen's dominance firsthand. In a July 26 meeting, the right-hander held the Guardians scoreless over seven innings while recording nine strikeouts.
If Griffin can keep the game close through five or six innings, Cleveland should have an opportunity to turn things over to its bullpen and compete for an opening-game victory.
Cleveland's Offense Must Find Answers
The biggest concern for Cleveland entering tonight's matchup is an offense that struggled against Tampa Bay throughout the regular season.
The Guardians never scored more than three runs in any of their six meetings with the Rays and were shut out three times. Those struggles were consistent with Cleveland's overall offensive production, as the Guardians finished the regular season with a .696 team OPS, ranking 26th in baseball.
Tampa Bay, meanwhile, finished eighth with a .728 OPS.
Cleveland's lineup showed signs of life during its comeback against Chicago, scoring nine runs in both Games 3 and 4 before José Ramírez supplied the decisive two-run home run in Saturday's Game 5 victory.
Ramírez has been the driving force behind the Guardians' postseason success, recording five hits and seven RBIs over the final three games against the White Sox. However, Cleveland cannot expect its star third baseman to provide all the offense against a pitching staff as talented as Tampa Bay's.
The Guardians will need contributions throughout the lineup, particularly from players like Chase DeLauter, who can provide power and the ability to change a game with one swing of the bat.
Against Rasmussen, patience at the plate will also be critical. Cleveland must avoid chasing pitches outside the strike zone, work favorable counts, and take advantage of opportunities with runners in scoring position.
Bullpen Management Could Be Critical
One of the biggest differences between these teams entering Game 1 is the condition of their pitching staffs.
Tampa Bay needed just three games to eliminate New York, allowing the Rays to rest their starting rotation and bullpen while Cleveland battled through five games against Chicago.
The Guardians used several pitchers in high-leverage situations throughout their comeback, including Williams, Hunter Gaddis, Erik Sabrowski, and Cade Smith.
With as many as seven games potentially packed into nine days, Vogt will need to manage his bullpen carefully. A short outing from Griffin could force Cleveland to use several relievers immediately, potentially creating problems later in the series.
On the other hand, a strong start would allow the Guardians to preserve their best bullpen options for the late innings, where Cleveland has demonstrated its ability to protect narrow leads.
Game Information
| Matchup | Cleveland Guardians at Tampa Bay Rays |
| Game | American League Championship Series, Game 1 |
| Date | Monday, October 12, 2026 |
| First Pitch | 8 p.m. ET |
| Location | Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida |
| Starting Pitchers | Foster Griffin (LHP), 15-6, 3.60 ERA vs. Drew Rasmussen (RHP), 16-5, 2.67 ERA |
| Moneyline | Rays -170, Guardians +139 |
| Over/Under | 6.5 runs |
| Television | TBS, truTV, UniMás |
| Streaming | HBO Max |
The Guardians and Rays will meet again Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET before the series shifts to Progressive Field for Game 3 on Thursday.
