The Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays open the 2026 American League Championship Collection (ALCS) at Tropicana Subject in St. Petersburg, Fla. at 8 p.m. ET. The sport will be seen or streamed on TBS and truTV.
Cleveland rallied from an 0-2 collection gap towards the Chicago White Sox in a scintillating ALDS, successful two video games on the highway at Price Subject, earlier than vanquishing their division rivals at Progressive Subject in Recreation 5 on Saturday, successful 2-0.
The Guardians pitching allowed 15 complete runs, or 3.0 runs per recreation (RPG), within the 5 postseason video games up to now. And, after managing simply 1.5 RPG within the first two losses at dwelling, the offense got here alive within the ultimate three video games, erupting for six.7 RPG within the victories.
The Rays have been idle since Wednesday after sharpening off the New York Yankees in a three-game sweep of their ALDS collection. Two of the three victories have been one-run video games, as Tampa Bay scored 5 or fewer runs within the collection, averaging simply 3.4 RPG, however permitting only one.7 RPG. The Rays pitching workers was top-notch, because it has been for many of the season.
Tampa Bay received the AL East Division title over the extra high-salaried groups just like the Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Purple Sox and, even the Baltimore Orioles, by counting on well timed hitting, strong pitching and hungry gamers.
In actual fact, this recreation options the Guardians, with a roughly a $74.5 million complete wage, lowest in MLB, towards the Rays, with round a $95.6 million complete wage, rating third-lowest in baseball. A whole lot of the folks towards a wage cap, for no matter purpose, will level to this collection saying that the present system works.
Cleveland turns to LHP Foster Griffin as its Recreation 1 starter, whereas Tampa Bay counters with RHP Drew Rasmussen.
Griffin was acquired on the MLB non-waiver commerce deadline from the Washington Nationals, and he was first rate in his solely playoff look up to now, permitting one run and two hits with seven strikeouts in his eight outs recorded in Recreation 3 in Chicago on Wednesday.
The final time, and solely time in his profession, that Griffin confronted the Rays was in reduction on Sept. 22, 2022, in his one and solely look with the Blue Jays.
Rasmussen (16-5, 2.67 ERA, 0.91 WHIP) has been electrical all season, and he may not be well-known to the informal fan, however he can deal. And, in Recreation 1 at Tropicana Subject towards the Yankees, he allowed only one hit and two walks with 10 strikeouts in eight scoreless innings to assist set the tone for the ALDS.
Rasmussen was 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA with 15 strikeouts throughout 12 IP in two regular-season outings towards the Guardians.
The perfect guess is to go UNDER 6.5 (+100) at even-money, regardless that that’s a low quantity. And, we’ll again the RAYS (-164) as reasonable favorites below the roof in Recreation 1 at dwelling.
