Rays-Guardians ALCS Tied 1-1; Game 3 Moved to 1 p.m. ET

The Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians split the first two games of the ALCS, with the series now tied 1–1. Game 3 has been moved from 6 p.m. ET to 1 p.m. ET on Thursday due to rain forecasts in Cleveland, with the Guardians starting Gavin Williams against Rays starter Griffin Jax.

Quick Facts

ALCS Game 2: Rays defeated Guardians 3–1
ALCS Game 1: Guardians defeated Rays 7–3
Game 3 start time moved from 6 p.m. to 1 p.m. ET due to rain forecast
Gavin Williams named Game 3 starter for Guardians
Griffin Jax named Game 3 starter for Rays

The American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians is deadlocked at one game apiece after the Rays defeated the Guardians 3–1 in Game 2 on Tuesday. The series now shifts to Cleveland's Progressive Field for Game 3 on Thursday.

Major League Baseball moved Game 3's start time from 6 p.m. ET to 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday due to forecast rain in the Cleveland area. The Guardians will start right-hander Gavin Williams, who posted a 1.54 ERA with 24 strikeouts over 11⅔ innings in three appearances against the Chicago White Sox in the ALDS, including a dominant five innings in Game 5 to clinch the series. The Rays will counter with right-hander Griffin Jax, making his first career postseason start after appearing in relief in the ALDS against the New York Yankees. Jax has compiled a 3.14 ERA in 23 regular-season starts and recently posted a 0.90 ERA over his past five appearances.

Williams' regular-season splits favor day games, with a 2.42 ERA in 13 day starts compared to 4.82 ERA in 19 night starts. The Guardians rebounded from a 7–3 Game 1 loss by holding the Rays to one run in Game 2 behind Freddy Peralta's strong pitching. The Rays, however, struggled offensively in that contest and have managed just a .600 on-base-plus-slugging percentage across five playoff games with only 10 extra-base hits, though Junior Caminero leads the lineup despite remaining without a postseason home run. For Cleveland, José Ramírez committed an uncharacteristic error in Game 2 that led to three unearned runs but has otherwise performed well in the postseason.

Both teams enter Game 3 with identical records in their previous series—the Guardians won 3–1 over the White Sox after trailing 0–2, while the Rays swept the Yankees 3–0. The winner of this best-of-seven series will advance to the World Series; the Guardians have not won the title since 1948, while the Rays have never won it in franchise history (established 1998) and have appeared twice (2008, 2020).

The schedule adjustment also allowed MLB to shift Game 4 of the National League Championship Series between the Brewers and Dodgers from 9 p.m. ET to 8 p.m. ET on the same evening to accommodate East Coast viewers.

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#Game 3 #World Series #Rays #Cleveland #playoffs #baseball #Gavin Williams #Guardians #Griffin Jax #ALCS

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Why This Matters

The ALCS outcome determines which team advances to the World Series and competes for the championship title. The Guardians have not won a World Series since 1948; the Rays have never won one and have appeared in only two (2008, 2020). The schedule change from 6 p.m. ET to 1 p.m. ET on Thursday affects broadcast viewership and player preparation due to weather forecasts in Cleveland. Pitching matchups—Williams' 1.54 ERA in recent ALDS appearances versus Jax's 3.14 regular-season ERA—directly influence playoff momentum, as do offensive trends (Rays' .600 OPS, 10 extra-base hits in five games; Guardians' error in Game 2 yielding three unearned runs).

Timeline & Sources

Oct 12, 2026

Wire

ALCS Game 1: Guardians defeat Rays 7–3

Oct 13, 2026

Wire

ALCS Game 2: Rays defeat Guardians 3–1; series tied 1–1

Oct 15, 2026

Wire

ALCS Game 3: Rays vs. Guardians at Progressive Field, 1 p.m. ET

Oct 15, 2026

Wire

Rays confirm Griffin Jax as Game 3 starter

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Why This Matters

Timeline & Sources

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