Rain washed out Friday night at Progressive Field, but it did not move Shawn Armstrong out of the Guardians’ Game 4 plans. Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said Armstrong will take the ball when the American League Championship Series resumes Saturday, with the Guardians holding a 2-1 edge over the Rays.
ALCS schedule after the rainout
| Game | Date | First pitch | Site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 4 | Saturday | 8 p.m. ET | Progressive Field |
| Game 5 | Sunday | 5 p.m. ET | Progressive Field |
| Game 6, if needed | Monday | Not listed | Tropicana Field |
| Game 7, if needed | Tuesday | Not listed | Tropicana Field |
Saturday’s Game 4 will air on TBS, truTV, UniMas and HBO Max. The clubs waited through several hours of rain Friday before the game was called, a familiar October-style weather interruption in Northeast Ohio. Vogt did not expect the lost night to disrupt his club’s preparation.
“This is baseball in Cleveland,” Vogt said, explaining that his group has grown accustomed to dealing with such days.
Armstrong opens, with Griffin a possible bridge
Cleveland had already viewed Game 4 as a likely bullpen game, and the postponement did not change that basic assignment. Armstrong remains the announced starter. What comes after him, however, remains open.
Left-hander Foster Griffin is back on regular rest after starting Game 1 on Monday and was described before Friday’s scheduled game as ready to pitch Saturday. Vogt stopped short of naming Griffin for any particular role, but he could be available as the bulk arm behind Armstrong.
| Pitcher | Game 1 line | Key detail |
|---|---|---|
| Foster Griffin | 4 IP, 5 H, 2 R | Both runs came in the first inning |
Griffin’s first frame in Game 1 began with Yandy Díaz doubling, then scoring on Junior Caminero’s RBI single. With both Tampa Bay hitters batting right-handed, an Armstrong opening assignment would allow Cleveland to bring Griffin in after that portion of the Rays’ order has passed through.
Messick’s turn could shift
The rainout also gives Cleveland a choice with rookie Parker Messick. The Plant City, Florida, native started Game 2 at Tropicana Field and had been lined up for another start there in a potential Game 6 on Monday, working with five days between outings.
Now the Guardians could bring Messick forward to Game 5 on Sunday, when a pennant-clinching opportunity could be waiting. Saturday’s bullpen usage will help determine whether that happens.
Tanner Bibee, Joey Cantillo and Slade Cecconi are available as starters who could work in relief in Game 4. If Griffin is not used Saturday, he could instead start Game 5 on five days’ rest, leaving Messick on track for Game 6.
That extra breathing room may be useful for Messick, who has logged 198 innings across the 2026 regular season and postseason. His previous professional high was 138 1/3 innings in 2025, split between Cleveland and Triple-A Columbus. The Guardians will weigh his condition along with the immediate needs of the series.
Gavin Williams appears set to remain in line for a possible Game 7 on four days’ rest, or for Game 1 of the World Series against the Brewers on Friday should Cleveland finish off Tampa Bay sooner.
No more scheduled breaks
The Guardians navigated a five-game AL Division Series against the White Sox with three days off along the way. There will be no such cushion now. Cleveland and Tampa Bay could be headed for four straight days of baseball beginning Saturday.
Vogt said the run of consecutive games resembles the regular-season rhythm, even if neither club wanted to lose Friday’s game. His message was simple: Cleveland has a chance to win what remains and advance.
That stretch could ask plenty more of a bullpen that has already carried a heavy October load. Cade Smith and Hunter Gaddis have each made seven postseason appearances, while Erik Sabrowski has worked six times.
Gaddis said before the postponement that he still felt strong and wanted the ball whenever the club called. The Guardians may need that willingness over the next four days, starting with Armstrong’s opening pitch Saturday night.
