Rain washed out Game 4 of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians Friday night, slamming the brakes on a high-stakes series where the Guardians hold a tight 2-1 lead. Major League Baseball was holding out hope for a three-hour window of dry weather to get the game in, but the showers just wouldn’t let up, forcing the postponement.
Rain Stalls The Showdown, Managers Weigh In
“It never cleared out the way they were hoping,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said after the call. He added, “It started to get later in the hour, and MLB and I think both clubs did everything they could to try to get it in. Made the most sense, like, at this point and this hour, with no guarantee that there wasn’t another band coming.” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt echoed the sentiment, noting the constant communication leading up to the decision. “We knew how many days ago that today was going to be a challenge. Numerous weather calls, numerous back and forths, and ultimately MLB decided we needed to wait it out,” Vogt stated. He emphasized the importance of the game, but ultimately deferred to MLB’s decision to wait. This marks the first time an ALCS game has been postponed since way back in 2019, when the New York Yankees were set to host the Houston Astros. The Guardians took Game 3 on Thursday afternoon with a tight 3-2 victory, thanks to Petey Halpin’s clutch two-run homer, putting them ahead in this best-of-seven slugfest.
Armstrong’s Comeback Story Continues in Crucial Game 4 Start
When the series finally picks back up, both teams are sticking with their scheduled Game 4 starters from Friday. Cleveland is going with a bullpen game, and Shawn Armstrong is set to be the opener. For Tampa Bay, Nick Martinez will take the mound. For Armstrong, this is his fifth appearance this postseason, and he’s been absolutely lights out, allowing only one hit across 5 1/3 innings with five strikeouts. And here’s the kicker for us Seattle fans: Armstrong was actually traded to Seattle in 2017! He bounced around four other organizations after that, including a stint with Tampa Bay, before finding his way back to the Guardians this season. He almost thought his season was over in late July with a calf strain but made an incredible return in the final week of the regular season. Armstrong, drafted by Cleveland in 2011, shared his excitement before Game 3 about being back with the team that drafted him, saying, “I think I said it to (Erik) Sabrowski, whenever we were standing in the outfield in Game 2 in Tampa , obviously I played here, I got drafted here, coming back here and being able to be in this situation is , words can’t describe it.”
Meanwhile, Martinez, who started Game 3 of the Division Series against the New York Yankees, went 3 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts. He had a strong regular season, going 15-6 with a 3.10 ERA, ranking sixth in the AL, and was third in the AL with 26 starts.
What’s Next for the ALCS?
The series will resume Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. FOX Weather is calling for morning clouds followed by afternoon sun, with highs in the low 50s and lows in the upper 30s. Game 5 is already slated for Sunday at Progressive Field at 5 p.m. If necessary, Game 6 will be played Monday at 8 p.m. in St. Petersburg, Florida, with a potential Game 7 also in St. Petersburg on Tuesday at 8 p.m. Get ready, folks, because this series is far from over!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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