CLEVELAND — The fourth game of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians was called off due to rain on Friday night.
Officials from Major League Baseball had hoped for a window of about three hours without rain to get the game underway, but the downpour continued.
“It didn’t clear up like they thought it might. As the hour got later, MLB and both teams did everything possible to make it happen,” said Rays manager Kevin Cash. “At this hour, without knowing if more rain was on the way, it made the most sense to postpone.”
The playoff series will now continue on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, with Game 5 scheduled for Sunday at 5 p.m. at Progressive Field, and potentially Game 6 on Monday at 8 p.m. in St. Petersburg, Florida.
“We were aware that today could be tricky. There were numerous weather checks and discussions, and ultimately MLB decided we should wait it out,” commented Guardians manager Stephen Vogt. “It’s crucial to play these games as planned, but in the end, MLB opted for caution.”
This marks the first postponement of an ALCS game since 2019, when the New York Yankees faced the Houston Astros.
Currently, the Guardians are leading the best-of-seven series 2-1, following a thrilling Game 3 where Petey Halpin’s two-run homer secured a 3-2 win on Thursday.
Both teams will stick to their originally planned starting pitchers for Game 4. Cleveland is set to rely on a bullpen game, beginning with Shawn Armstrong, while Nick Martinez will take the mound for Tampa Bay.
This will be Armstrong’s fifth appearance in the postseason; he has only allowed one hit over 5 1/3 innings this postseason, racking up five strikeouts.
Interestingly, Armstrong thought his season might be over in July due to a calf strain but managed to return just in time for the final stretch of the regular season.
Drafted in the 18th round by Cleveland in 2011, Armstrong made his debut four years later, only to be traded to Seattle in 2017. After stints with several teams, including Tampa Bay, he signed with the Guardians this season.
“I mentioned to (Erik) Sabrowski during Game 2 in Tampa that, having been drafted here and returning for this moment—it’s hard to put into words,” he expressed before Game 3 on Thursday.
Martinez also has postseason experience, having pitched in Game 3 of the Division Series against the Yankees, where he went 3 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on five hits and recording three strikeouts. During the regular season, he was 15-6 with a 3.10 ERA, ranking sixth in the AL.
“It’s going to be tough, just like my other starts; I’ll be battling to get as many outs as possible for the team. That’s what’s important,” he noted on Thursday.
The upcoming games might unfold without a day off, bringing the possibility of a Game 7 on Tuesday. This schedule could benefit the Milwaukee Brewers, who are enjoying a week off before they begin the World Series at home on October 23 against the winner of the Cleveland-Tampa Bay series.
Milwaukee has reached the Fall Classic for the first time since 1982, having completed a four-game sweep against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series on Thursday.
“We’re focused on the four consecutive games ahead of us, looking to win and move forward,” said Vogt.
