Friday night’s ALCS Game 4 never happened — at least not on schedule. Day-long rain over Cleveland, turning into a heavy evening downpour, forced the postponement of the Guardians-Rays matchup about an hour after its scheduled 8:08pm first pitch, squeezing the rest of the series into a compressed weekend and sending more than a dozen Rays players — who had been playing catch in the outfield rain — back to the clubhouse.
Game 4 moves to Saturday at 8pm ET, with Game 5 shifted to Sunday at 5pm ET — erasing what was supposed to be a travel day. Cleveland leads the best-of-seven 2-1 after taking Thursday’s weather-shortened Game 3, according to Sports Illustrated’s coverage.
Pitching plans scrambled
The Guardians had planned a bullpen game with Shawn Armstrong opening, saving Foster Griffin, Parker Messick and ace Gavin Williams for the final three potential games. The Rays planned to stick with Nick Martinez, who will still start Saturday. If the series goes seven, the teams would play four days in a row — a grind that tests every arm in both bullpens.
The delay extends baseball’s big weekend, with the Milwaukee Brewers — fresh off sweeping the Dodgers — waiting and resting while their World Series opponent is decided in the rain.
What’s next
Saturday’s forecast looks drier, with clear skies and temperatures near 50 degrees expected over Progressive Field. After two straight days of weather chaos — Thursday’s Game 3 was moved up five hours to dodge the forecast — both dugouts will take it.
The stakes could hardly be higher: a Guardians win Saturday puts Cleveland one victory from the World Series; a Rays win levels the series and sets up a winner-take-all Sunday. Either way, a title race decided on the field beats one decided by the forecast — and the Brewers, rested and waiting, will be watching every pitch.
