The American League Championship Series heads to Cleveland even at one game apiece, with the Rays carrying the lift of a 3-1 Game 2 win and the Guardians returning to a building that has already rocked through one postseason comeback.
Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday at 6 p.m. ET at Progressive Field, with TBS, truTV, UniMas and HBO Max carrying the telecast. Spanish-language radio coverage will be available through TUDN Radio.
Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash knows the road assignment will come with a full October soundtrack. The Rays played in Cleveland during the postseason not long ago, and Cash called it one of the strongest environments in the game. His club’s task, he said, is to bring its Game 2 momentum into the ballpark and play clean baseball.
Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt came away from St. Petersburg encouraged despite missing a chance to take a 2-0 series edge. The Guardians had opportunities in Game 2 before running into Freddy Peralta, whose fastball controlled the night. Still, Cleveland has won four of its past five games and now gets three straight at home.
“We feel great,” Vogt said. “We would have liked to win that one, of course, because it would have been huge. But we had our chances. Going home tied 1-1 and getting three games in front of our fans, we’re in a good spot and ready to get after it.”
Williams lines up for Cleveland, Jax gets Tampa Bay’s call
Vogt had not formally named his Game 3 starter, wanting to assess how his pitchers came through the opening two games. Gavin Williams remains the expected choice if he is physically ready.
The 27-year-old right-hander would be pitching on regular rest after a heavy but brilliant Division Series workload against the White Sox. Williams made two starts and an emergency relief appearance in that round, recording the last three outs of Game 4 before returning on one day of rest for Game 5. He matched Cleveland’s franchise postseason record with 12 strikeouts in a 2-0 clinching win.
Across 11 2/3 innings in the ALDS, Williams posted a 1.54 ERA with 24 strikeouts.
The Rays have officially selected right-hander Griffin Jax. Nick Martinez started Tampa Bay’s Game 3 against the Yankees in the ALDS, but Jax gets this turn after working two relief innings and throwing 32 pitches in that earlier series.
Jax has settled in since returning Sept. 2 from right elbow discomfort. Over his final four regular-season starts plus his ALDS relief outing at Yankee Stadium, he gave up two runs on 10 hits and four walks while striking out 19 in 20 innings. His past five appearances have produced a 0.90 ERA.
Progressive Field is familiar territory for Jax from his years with Minnesota. In 13 relief appearances there, he owns a 2.19 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP and 20 strikeouts.
Projected Game 3 lineups
Patrick Bailey is expected to catch Williams, whether Cleveland makes any other adjustments or not. The two have formed a regular battery this season, and Bailey has supplied a productive postseason bat.
| Guardians | Position | Rays | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steven Kwan | LF | Yandy Díaz | DH |
| José Ramírez | 3B | Jonathan Aranda | 1B |
| Chase DeLauter | RF | Junior Caminero | 3B |
| Jo Adell | DH | Liam Hicks | C |
| Nathaniel Lowe | 1B | Victor Mesa Jr. | RF |
| Travis Bazzana | 2B | Chandler Simpson | LF |
| Patrick Bailey | C | Jonny DeLuca | CF |
| Petey Halpin | CF | Richie Palacios | 2B |
| Brayan Rocchio | SS | Taylor Walls | SS |
Against a right-hander such as Williams, Tampa Bay is expected to deploy its usual right-handed-starter alignment built around Díaz, Aranda and Caminero. The most notable outfield question is center field: DeLuca has started every Rays postseason game, though Cedric Mullins remains an alternative.
Late innings reset after the off-day
Both clubs should have their bullpens in good working order after Wednesday’s off-day, though Tampa Bay is about to begin its first three-day stretch of games since the regular season.
For Cleveland, the preferred route runs toward closer Cade Smith. Smith and Hunter Gaddis each worked in the Guardians’ first six playoff games but did not pitch in Game 2. Erik Sabrowski also stayed down Tuesday and enters Game 3 with two days of rest.
The Rays will again look to Ian Seymour as a principal setup arm for closer Bryan Baker. Cam Booser has handled key matchups against left-handed hitters, while Kevin Kelly and Tyler Wells are further late-inning choices. Baker has saved all four of Tampa Bay’s postseason victories.
The Rays also bring a remarkable ninth-inning protection record into Cleveland: they are 89-0 this season, regular season and playoffs included, when leading after eight innings. The 2022 Mets finished 90-0 in that situation, while the 2002 Athletics were the most recent American League club to complete such a season unbeaten, at 93-0.
October pressure points
José Ramírez and Junior Caminero remain the central figures waiting for a signature ALCS swing. Ramírez had a solid Game 1, then made the costly error that helped Tampa Bay open Game 2. His fifth-inning single Tuesday moved him into sole possession of second place on Cleveland’s career postseason-hit list with 49, passing Kenny Lofton. Omar Vizquel leads the franchise with 57.
Caminero has been driving Tampa Bay’s offense despite still looking for his first postseason home run. Liam Hicks drove in two runs in Game 2, and DeLuca enters Thursday after consecutive multihit games. Díaz is 5-for-21 in the playoffs, while Mesa is 3-for-18.
For Cleveland, DeLauter has been especially steady, batting .346 with nine hits in 26 at-bats and only one strikeout over seven postseason contests. Reliever Shawn Armstrong has allowed one hit across 5 1/3 scoreless innings in four October appearances, striking out five after returning late in the regular season from a two-month absence caused by a left calf strain. Rocchio, meanwhile, is 2-for-22 in the postseason.
There are no new injury issues for the Guardians. Caminero and DeLuca both said they were fine after their hard collision chasing a foul ball in Game 1. Tampa Bay will be without left-hander Shane McClanahan for the rest of the postseason after he ended the regular season on the injured list with left forearm tightness.
Díaz will make his 31st postseason appearance with the Rays in Game 3, moving past Evan Longoria for the most in franchise history. Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell is set to throw the ceremonial first pitch.
The bigger prize sits plainly in view. Tampa Bay, which entered the majors in 1998, has reached the World Series only twice, in 2008 and 2020, and has never won it. Cleveland has not raised the trophy since 1948, a 77-season drought that remains the longest in Major League Baseball. For now, though, the series comes down to a Thursday night in Cleveland, a fresh set of arms, and whichever club can seize the first defining moment.
