Game 4 of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians was postponed due to rain on Friday night. Major League Baseball had hoped for a three-hour break in the rain to play the game, but the showers persisted.
Rays manager Kevin Cash mentioned that despite efforts from MLB and both teams, the weather did not clear up as expected, leading to the postponement. The teams are set to continue their series on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, with Game 5 scheduled for Sunday at 5 p.m. at Progressive Field, and a potential Game 6 on Monday at 8 p.m. in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt acknowledged the challenges faced with the weather and emphasized the importance of playing the games as scheduled. The decision to postpone was made by MLB after assessing the conditions.
This is the first time an ALCS game has been postponed since 2019. The Guardians currently lead the series 2-1 after their victory in Game 3. Both teams will maintain their Game 4 starting lineups, with Cleveland opting for a bullpen game led by Shawn Armstrong as the opener, while Nick Martinez will pitch for Tampa Bay.
The teams may have to play the remaining games in quick succession, potentially culminating in a Game 7 on Tuesday. The Milwaukee Brewers, who secured a spot in the World Series after sweeping the NL Championship Series, will await the winner of the ALCS, with their World Series opener set for Oct. 23.
Vogt expressed the team’s focus on winning the upcoming games to progress further in the series.