In a matchup of similar styles and payrolls, Rays and Guardians open ALCS at the Trop
By Rob Maaddi - Associated Press
October 11, 2026 at 7:14 PM EDT
Tampa Bay's "small ball" and Cleveland's “Guards Ball" vie for the American League pennant and a spot in the World Series. The starting pitchers for Game 1 are Drew Rasmussen and Foster Griffin.
A pair of low-payroll teams with similar styles will face off in the American League Championship Series, which opens at Tropicana Field on Monday night at 8.
It’s small ball vs. “Guards Ball” when the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians in a best-of-seven series, with a spot in the 122nd World Series waiting for the winner.
Click here to purchase postseason tickets for Tropicana Field.
Gates open at 5 p.m., and stadium lots open at 3 (all parking is prepaid).
Two-time All-Star right-hander Drew Rasmussen takes the mound for Tampa Bay after dominating the New York Yankees in the opener of the AL Division Series.
Lefty Foster Griffin is the likely starter for Cleveland, which was set to work out later Sunday after celebrating its victory over the Chicago White Sox in Game 5 of its ALDS on Saturday.
ALSO READ: It will be Rays vs. Guardians in the AL Championship Series
The Rays won an AL-best 98 games in the regular season, swept New York in the ALDS and seeks the third pennant in the franchise’s 29-season history.
Cleveland won 85 games, fell behind Chicago in the ALDS and became only the 11th team to overcome an 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five playoff series.
“I don’t think it’s really set in yet,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “But we’re here. The guys are excited. We’re prepared. We’re ready to go. We’re playing some really good baseball right now."
The Rays-Yankees matchup was David vs. Goliath in terms of payroll because New York opened the season with Major League Baseball's third highest at $302.8 million and Tampa Bay ranked 26th at $90.5 million.
But the Rays are facing a team now that spent even less. The Guardians were last in the majors at $75.5 million.
Both teams emphasize contact at the plate, speed on the bases, strong fundamentals, solid pitching and doing whatever it takes to win.
Tampa Bay led the AL with a .258 batting average and had the fewest strikeouts in the majors. The Guardians only hit .239, didn’t have a hitter with more than 18 homers and had the fifth-fewest strikeouts in the league.
The two clubs bolstered their rosters at the trade deadline. Tampa Bay got starter Freddy Peralta, catcher Liam Hicks and reliever Tyler Wells. Cleveland acquired Griffin, outfielder Jo Adell, and first baseman Nathaniel Lowe.
“I do think there’s more similarities than not,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said Sunday. “I feel Cleveland does mirror us or we mirror them. And I say that with the utmost respect to them, the way they develop pitching, the way they think about the game."
Rasmussen vs. Griffin
Rasmussen took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning of the ALDS opener, finishing with 10 strikeouts in a 1-0 victory. He was 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA and led the AL with a 0.91 WHIP. Rasmussen has been one of baseball’s best pitchers since an internal brace procedure in July 2023 that forced him to miss more than a year.
ALSO READ: Rays celebrate sweeping Yankees, advancing to AL Championship Series
“I could really care less where people would rank me,” Rasmussen said. “I’m going to come in every single day, be as prepared as possible and I’m going to go out there and compete to the best of my abilities and do my best to execute and give our team the best chance to win.
Griffin was 3-3 with a 5.19 ERA in nine starts for Cleveland after the trade. The 31-year-old was 12-3 with a 3.06 ERA with the Washington Nationals after spending the previous three seasons with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's Central League.
Griffin had seven strikeouts and gave up one run in 2⅔ innings of relief in Game 3 against the White Sox.
“They got some slug for sure, and also just have some really good just baseball knowledge-type players: get a guy over less than two outs, knowing when to hit the sac fly, put the ball on the ground in certain situations," Griffin said. "Have some speed, as well. More of a complete team instead of just a 1-through-9, trying to hit you for a home run or slug."
Neither team has committed to their starters beyind the opener.
Cash, who has the advantage of a rested staff, is likely he's go with right-hander Freddy Peralta in Game 2 on Tuesday. Right-handers Nick Martinez is expected to start Game 3. With a four-man rotation, either righty Griffin Jax and left-hander Ian Seymour will get the call on Friday while the other moves into the bullpen.
Cleveland's staff just went the distance in a five-game ALDS. Parker Messick should go on Tuesday, although he was taxed in 2-plus innings of Game 4 against Chicago. Ace Gavin Williams went 5-plus innings on Saturday after closing Game 4. The means he'll likely be up for Game 3 on regular rest. Tanner Bibee, Joey Cantillo or Daniel Espino are opener options.
Run producers
Yandy Diaz, Jonanthan Aranda and Junior Caminero are the "big three" at the top of the Tampa Bay lineup. Caminero batted .276 with 42 homers and 101 RBIs and was 3-for-10 with one double and walked twice vs. the Yankees. Aranda hit a career-best 22 homers in the regular season and was 4-for-12 in the ALDS with a homer in the opener and Diaz hit (.293 with 22 homes and 85 RBIs. Also integral to the line are Chandler Simpson (.306, 48 steals) and Jonny Deluca (11 for 36, two home runs and four RBIs over past 10 games).
Chase DeLauter led the Guardians with a .287 average to go with 16 homers. Steven Kwan hit .282 and Angel Martinez led the team with 18 homers. Martinez wasn’t in the starting lineup in Game 5 vs. Chicago after going 0-for-15 and striking out eight times in the first four games. Jose Ramírez batted .235 in the regular season but homered twice against the White Sox, including a two-run drive in the 2-0 win in Game 5.
Cleveland-Tampa Bay connections
Caminero signed with Cleveland out of the Dominican Republic in 2019, but played only one season in the minors before he was traded a year later to the Rays for pitcher Tobias Myers, was designated for assignment by the Guardians eight months later. Two years later, Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti admitted: “That’s a bad trade.”
Diaz, signed out of Cuba by Cleveland, came to the Rays in 2018, part of a three-team trade involving the Seattle Mariners. Tampa Bay also received pitcher Cole Sulser from the Guardians. The Rays sent first baseman Jake Bauers to the Guardians and $5 million to the Mariners, who also received Cleveland DH Edwin Encarnacion.
Sulser pitched in 51 games this season for the Rays and was on the ALDS roster. Diaz, 35, played in the 1,000th major-league game in July.
Cleveland selected reliever Kevin Kelly in the 19th round of the 2017 amateur draft. The Colorado Rockies acquired him in 2022 Rule 5 draft, but he was dealt to the Rays for cash considerations.
Rays infielder Richie Palacios was a third-round pick of Cleveland in 2018 and made his MLB debut with the Guardians in 2022. He was designated for assignment after the season and signed with the St. Louis Cardinals, who traded him to Tampa Bay in 2024.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt spent 10 years in the majors with seven teams, the first was Tampa Bay in 2012. He was drafted by the Devil Rays in the 12th round (365th overall) in 2007 amateur draft, spent six years in the Tampa Bay system and was named the franchise's Minor League Player of the Year in 2011.
Before he became Tampa Bay's skipper, Cash spent 2013 and 2014 as Terry Francona’s bullpen coach in Cleveland.
McClanahan out
Shane McClanahan will not pitch for the Rays in the postseason.
Rays manager Kevin Cash said Sunday the left-hander will not be added to the AL Championship Series roster after pitching 118 innings this year in his return following a two-year absence.
McClanahan had Tommy John surgery and then a nerve issue that forced him to miss 2024 and 2025. He was 10-7 with a 3.36 ERA in 24 starts this season before being placed on the injured list with left forearm tightness in early September.
ALCS history
The Rays won their previous appearances in seven games, against Boston in 2008 and the Houston in 2020. They lost the World Series both times, to Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Cleveland is 3-3, including a five-game series loss to the Yankees in 2024, and have not won the World Series since in 1948 — the longest drought in the majors.
Series schedule
Note: If the National League Championship Series is over, Game 6 will move to 8 p.m.
TV: TBS
Radio: WDAE (95.7 FM and 620 AM)
Who's favored?
As of Monday morning, FanDuel Sportsbook listed the Rays as a -165 favorite to win the ALCS.
For Game 1, Tampa Bay was a -164 moneyline favorite, with the over/under at 6.5 runs. Cleveland was a +138 underdog.
In sports betting, a minus sign indicates the favorite and a plus sign indicates the underdog. For example, a $165 bet on the Rays at -165 would win $100, while a $100 bet on the Guardians at +135 would win $135.
WUSF's Rick Mayer contributed to this report.
It’s small ball vs. “Guards Ball” when the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians in a best-of-seven series, with a spot in the 122nd World Series waiting for the winner.
Click here to purchase postseason tickets for Tropicana Field.
Gates open at 5 p.m., and stadium lots open at 3 (all parking is prepaid).
Two-time All-Star right-hander Drew Rasmussen takes the mound for Tampa Bay after dominating the New York Yankees in the opener of the AL Division Series.
Lefty Foster Griffin is the likely starter for Cleveland, which was set to work out later Sunday after celebrating its victory over the Chicago White Sox in Game 5 of its ALDS on Saturday.
ALSO READ: It will be Rays vs. Guardians in the AL Championship Series
The Rays won an AL-best 98 games in the regular season, swept New York in the ALDS and seeks the third pennant in the franchise’s 29-season history.
Cleveland won 85 games, fell behind Chicago in the ALDS and became only the 11th team to overcome an 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five playoff series.
“I don’t think it’s really set in yet,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “But we’re here. The guys are excited. We’re prepared. We’re ready to go. We’re playing some really good baseball right now."
The Rays-Yankees matchup was David vs. Goliath in terms of payroll because New York opened the season with Major League Baseball's third highest at $302.8 million and Tampa Bay ranked 26th at $90.5 million.
But the Rays are facing a team now that spent even less. The Guardians were last in the majors at $75.5 million.
Both teams emphasize contact at the plate, speed on the bases, strong fundamentals, solid pitching and doing whatever it takes to win.
Tampa Bay led the AL with a .258 batting average and had the fewest strikeouts in the majors. The Guardians only hit .239, didn’t have a hitter with more than 18 homers and had the fifth-fewest strikeouts in the league.
The two clubs bolstered their rosters at the trade deadline. Tampa Bay got starter Freddy Peralta, catcher Liam Hicks and reliever Tyler Wells. Cleveland acquired Griffin, outfielder Jo Adell, and first baseman Nathaniel Lowe.
“I do think there’s more similarities than not,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said Sunday. “I feel Cleveland does mirror us or we mirror them. And I say that with the utmost respect to them, the way they develop pitching, the way they think about the game."
Rasmussen vs. Griffin
Rasmussen took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning of the ALDS opener, finishing with 10 strikeouts in a 1-0 victory. He was 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA and led the AL with a 0.91 WHIP. Rasmussen has been one of baseball’s best pitchers since an internal brace procedure in July 2023 that forced him to miss more than a year.
ALSO READ: Rays celebrate sweeping Yankees, advancing to AL Championship Series
“I could really care less where people would rank me,” Rasmussen said. “I’m going to come in every single day, be as prepared as possible and I’m going to go out there and compete to the best of my abilities and do my best to execute and give our team the best chance to win.
Griffin was 3-3 with a 5.19 ERA in nine starts for Cleveland after the trade. The 31-year-old was 12-3 with a 3.06 ERA with the Washington Nationals after spending the previous three seasons with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's Central League.
Griffin had seven strikeouts and gave up one run in 2⅔ innings of relief in Game 3 against the White Sox.
“They got some slug for sure, and also just have some really good just baseball knowledge-type players: get a guy over less than two outs, knowing when to hit the sac fly, put the ball on the ground in certain situations," Griffin said. "Have some speed, as well. More of a complete team instead of just a 1-through-9, trying to hit you for a home run or slug."
Neither team has committed to their starters beyind the opener.
Cash, who has the advantage of a rested staff, is likely he's go with right-hander Freddy Peralta in Game 2 on Tuesday. Right-handers Nick Martinez is expected to start Game 3. With a four-man rotation, either righty Griffin Jax and left-hander Ian Seymour will get the call on Friday while the other moves into the bullpen.
Cleveland's staff just went the distance in a five-game ALDS. Parker Messick should go on Tuesday, although he was taxed in 2-plus innings of Game 4 against Chicago. Ace Gavin Williams went 5-plus innings on Saturday after closing Game 4. The means he'll likely be up for Game 3 on regular rest. Tanner Bibee, Joey Cantillo or Daniel Espino are opener options.
Run producers
Yandy Diaz, Jonanthan Aranda and Junior Caminero are the "big three" at the top of the Tampa Bay lineup. Caminero batted .276 with 42 homers and 101 RBIs and was 3-for-10 with one double and walked twice vs. the Yankees. Aranda hit a career-best 22 homers in the regular season and was 4-for-12 in the ALDS with a homer in the opener and Diaz hit (.293 with 22 homes and 85 RBIs. Also integral to the line are Chandler Simpson (.306, 48 steals) and Jonny Deluca (11 for 36, two home runs and four RBIs over past 10 games).
Chase DeLauter led the Guardians with a .287 average to go with 16 homers. Steven Kwan hit .282 and Angel Martinez led the team with 18 homers. Martinez wasn’t in the starting lineup in Game 5 vs. Chicago after going 0-for-15 and striking out eight times in the first four games. Jose Ramírez batted .235 in the regular season but homered twice against the White Sox, including a two-run drive in the 2-0 win in Game 5.
Cleveland-Tampa Bay connections
Caminero signed with Cleveland out of the Dominican Republic in 2019, but played only one season in the minors before he was traded a year later to the Rays for pitcher Tobias Myers, was designated for assignment by the Guardians eight months later. Two years later, Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti admitted: “That’s a bad trade.”
Diaz, signed out of Cuba by Cleveland, came to the Rays in 2018, part of a three-team trade involving the Seattle Mariners. Tampa Bay also received pitcher Cole Sulser from the Guardians. The Rays sent first baseman Jake Bauers to the Guardians and $5 million to the Mariners, who also received Cleveland DH Edwin Encarnacion.
Sulser pitched in 51 games this season for the Rays and was on the ALDS roster. Diaz, 35, played in the 1,000th major-league game in July.
Cleveland selected reliever Kevin Kelly in the 19th round of the 2017 amateur draft. The Colorado Rockies acquired him in 2022 Rule 5 draft, but he was dealt to the Rays for cash considerations.
Rays infielder Richie Palacios was a third-round pick of Cleveland in 2018 and made his MLB debut with the Guardians in 2022. He was designated for assignment after the season and signed with the St. Louis Cardinals, who traded him to Tampa Bay in 2024.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt spent 10 years in the majors with seven teams, the first was Tampa Bay in 2012. He was drafted by the Devil Rays in the 12th round (365th overall) in 2007 amateur draft, spent six years in the Tampa Bay system and was named the franchise's Minor League Player of the Year in 2011.
Before he became Tampa Bay's skipper, Cash spent 2013 and 2014 as Terry Francona’s bullpen coach in Cleveland.
McClanahan out
Shane McClanahan will not pitch for the Rays in the postseason.
Rays manager Kevin Cash said Sunday the left-hander will not be added to the AL Championship Series roster after pitching 118 innings this year in his return following a two-year absence.
McClanahan had Tommy John surgery and then a nerve issue that forced him to miss 2024 and 2025. He was 10-7 with a 3.36 ERA in 24 starts this season before being placed on the injured list with left forearm tightness in early September.
ALCS history
The Rays won their previous appearances in seven games, against Boston in 2008 and the Houston in 2020. They lost the World Series both times, to Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Cleveland is 3-3, including a five-game series loss to the Yankees in 2024, and have not won the World Series since in 1948 — the longest drought in the majors.
Series schedule
- Game 1 – Monday at Tropicana Field, 8 p.m.
- Game 2 – Tuesday at Tropicana Field, 8 p.m.
- Game 3 – Thursday, Oct. 15 at Cleveland/Chicago, 6 p.m.
- Game 4 – Friday at Cleveland/Chicago,6 p.m.
- Game 5 – Saturday, Oct. 17 at Cleveland/Chicago (if necessary), 8 p.m.
- Game 6 – Monday, Oct. 19 at Tropicana Field (if necessary), 5 or 8 p.m.
- Game 7 – Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Tropicana Field (if necessary), 8 p.m.
Note: If the National League Championship Series is over, Game 6 will move to 8 p.m.
TV: TBS
Radio: WDAE (95.7 FM and 620 AM)
Who's favored?
As of Monday morning, FanDuel Sportsbook listed the Rays as a -165 favorite to win the ALCS.
For Game 1, Tampa Bay was a -164 moneyline favorite, with the over/under at 6.5 runs. Cleveland was a +138 underdog.
In sports betting, a minus sign indicates the favorite and a plus sign indicates the underdog. For example, a $165 bet on the Rays at -165 would win $100, while a $100 bet on the Guardians at +135 would win $135.
WUSF's Rick Mayer contributed to this report.