The Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians had to postpone Game 4 of the American League Championship Series due to persistent rain on Friday night. Despite the Major League Baseball’s efforts to find a dry window for the game, the showers continued without respite.
Rays manager Kevin Cash acknowledged the challenging weather conditions and the collective efforts made by MLB and both teams to play the game. The playoff series will resume on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, followed by Game 5 on Sunday at 5 p.m. at Progressive Field, and a potential Game 6 in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Monday at 8 p.m.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt emphasized the importance of adhering to the scheduled games while acknowledging MLB’s decision to wait out the weather delay. This postponement marks the first time since 2019 that an ALCS game has been rescheduled.
The Guardians currently lead the best-of-seven series 2-1 following their victory in Game 3 propelled by Petey Halpin’s two-run homer. Both teams will maintain their Game 4 starting pitchers, with Cleveland opting for a bullpen game led by Shawn Armstrong as the opener, and Tampa Bay pitching Nick Martinez.
The possibility of playing consecutive games without a day off looms for the teams, potentially culminating in a decisive Game 7 on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Brewers await the winner of the Cleveland-Tampa Bay series after securing a spot in the World Series for the first time since 1982 by sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series.
Looking ahead, Vogt expressed the team’s focus on the upcoming games and the opportunity to progress in the postseason.
