Guardians-Rays Game 4 of ALCS Postponed Due to Rain

The Cleveland Guardians Game 4 matchup in the ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays has been postponed. Heavy rain in Cleveland has the warning track covered in puddles. 

Game 4 will now take place on Saturday at 8:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time, and Game 5 will be played on Sunday at 5:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time.

The game was set up as a pitching matchup between Nick Martinez and Shawn Armstrong. Martinez had a strong regular season for Tampa Bay, posting a 3.10 ERA with 109 strikeouts and a 1.094 WHIP. He was named an All-Star and was a key piece in the Rays' rotation.

Martinez has one playoff start in 2026, going 3.2 innings and allowing five hits, a walk, and two earned runs while striking out three against the New York Yankees. The postponement could affect whether he is on the mound.

Cleveland planned to start Shawn Armstrong as the opener in Game 4. Armstrong appeared in 41 games in the regular season out of the bullpen, posting a 4.58 ERA with 34 strikeouts and a 1.358 WHIP.

Armstrong has been great for the Guardians in the postseason, appearing in four games, going 5.1 innings with one hit and one walk while striking out five. While he won't give Cleveland length like a typical starter, he has been effective throughout the playoffs. The starters are subject to change tomorrow due to the postponement.

Their Game 3 matchup was moved up in the day to avoid rain. The Guardians came out on top with a 3-2 victory. Cleveland had a strong performance from their pitching staff, with Gavin Williams going five innings, allowing two hits, a walk, and two earned runs while striking out nine. The bullpen then shut down the Rays, not allowing a run to secure the 3-2 win.

While the Guardians' pitching staff had another great performance, center fielder Petey Halpin was the hero. With Cleveland trailing 2-1, Halpin blasted a two-run home run and followed it with an emphatic bat flip to give the Guardians a 3-2 lead.

Cleveland has been on fire of late, after falling down 2-0 in the ALDS against the Chicago White Sox. The Guardians rallied and won three straight to advance to the ALCS and have continued to play winning baseball against Tampa Bay.

Cleveland will look to carry their momentum into Game 4 despite the delay, taking a commanding 3-1 series lead and putting them within reach of a World Series appearance for the first time since 2016.