Rainy Cleveland forecast moves Game 3 of Rays-Guardians to 1 p.m. Thursday
By Associated Press
October 14, 2026 at 1:17 PM EDT
The game was originally scheduled for 6 p.m. Major League Baseball moved the time up five hours to keep the series on schedule. Other times in the series remain the same, for now.
Thursday's Game 3 of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians has been moved to a 1 p.m. start due to the threat of rain in Cleveland on Thursday night.
Major League Baseball moved the start time up five hours for the series to remain on schedule. The game at Progressive Field will still be broadcast on TBS and other TNT Sports platforms.
ALSO READ: Watch the Rays' ALCS playoff games on Tropicana Field's huge videoboard
The best-of-seven series is even at 1-1 after the Rays' 3-1 victory Tuesday night. Cleveland took the series opener 7-3 on Monday.
Tampa Bay will send right-hander Griffin Jax to the mound. Jax (8-10, 3.52 ERA) struck out four and gave up one run in two innings of relief against the New York Yankees in the AL Division Series.
"I'm not going to let it affect me too much," Jax said of the earlier start. "I've always been more of a morning person anyway. Spring training schedules are my favorite, getting a decent night sleep and waking up and playing some baseball. It will be nice to hopefully have some sun ... but I mean, it's still baseball at the end of the day."
Rays manager Kevin Cash said the time change shouldn't alter his pitching plans.
"I mean, there really hasn't been any change. I think MLB did the right thing," Cash said. "They felt likelier that we were going to get rain in the mid- to late afternoon. So, let's move the game up and try to bank as many dry innings as possible.
"As far as when we got the news earlier [Wednesday] morning, nothing changed on our end. Coming off an off day probably helps a little bit. But that's it."
Cleveland is expected to go with Gavin Williams (14-8, 3.76 ERA), who led the AL in strikeouts. The right-hander started Games 2 and 5 against the White Sox and tossed an inning in relief in Game 4. He had 24 strikeouts in 11⅔ innings, allowing two runs and six hits.
"Game times have changed throughout the year. So nothing we can really worry about at this point. We're going to go out there and try to do our job the best we can," Williams said.
ALSO READ: Rays' pitchers shut down Guardians in 3-1 victory to even ALCS at one game apiece
Friday’s Game 4 in Cleveland still has a start time of 6 p.m. and Saturday’s first pitch is slated for 8 p.m.
If necessary, the series returns to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg for Game 6 on Monday and Game 7 on Tuesday.
MLB also moved up the start of Game 3 of the NL Championship Series between the Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday. That game in Los Angeles will now start an hour earlier, at 8 p.m. (5 p.m. PDT). The Brewers lead that series 3-0.
Major League Baseball moved the start time up five hours for the series to remain on schedule. The game at Progressive Field will still be broadcast on TBS and other TNT Sports platforms.
ALSO READ: Watch the Rays' ALCS playoff games on Tropicana Field's huge videoboard
The best-of-seven series is even at 1-1 after the Rays' 3-1 victory Tuesday night. Cleveland took the series opener 7-3 on Monday.
Tampa Bay will send right-hander Griffin Jax to the mound. Jax (8-10, 3.52 ERA) struck out four and gave up one run in two innings of relief against the New York Yankees in the AL Division Series.
"I'm not going to let it affect me too much," Jax said of the earlier start. "I've always been more of a morning person anyway. Spring training schedules are my favorite, getting a decent night sleep and waking up and playing some baseball. It will be nice to hopefully have some sun ... but I mean, it's still baseball at the end of the day."
Rays manager Kevin Cash said the time change shouldn't alter his pitching plans.
"I mean, there really hasn't been any change. I think MLB did the right thing," Cash said. "They felt likelier that we were going to get rain in the mid- to late afternoon. So, let's move the game up and try to bank as many dry innings as possible.
"As far as when we got the news earlier [Wednesday] morning, nothing changed on our end. Coming off an off day probably helps a little bit. But that's it."
Cleveland is expected to go with Gavin Williams (14-8, 3.76 ERA), who led the AL in strikeouts. The right-hander started Games 2 and 5 against the White Sox and tossed an inning in relief in Game 4. He had 24 strikeouts in 11⅔ innings, allowing two runs and six hits.
"Game times have changed throughout the year. So nothing we can really worry about at this point. We're going to go out there and try to do our job the best we can," Williams said.
ALSO READ: Rays' pitchers shut down Guardians in 3-1 victory to even ALCS at one game apiece
Friday’s Game 4 in Cleveland still has a start time of 6 p.m. and Saturday’s first pitch is slated for 8 p.m.
If necessary, the series returns to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg for Game 6 on Monday and Game 7 on Tuesday.
MLB also moved up the start of Game 3 of the NL Championship Series between the Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday. That game in Los Angeles will now start an hour earlier, at 8 p.m. (5 p.m. PDT). The Brewers lead that series 3-0.