Rays Open ALCS Against Guardians With Rest Advantage

Tampa Bay will host Cleveland in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Monday, October 12, at Tropicana Field, with the Rays holding a rest advantage after sweeping the New York Yankees. The Guardians arrive following three consecutive elimination-game victories against the Chicago White Sox, creating a matchup between two organizations known for developing pitchers and maximizing talent.

According to USA Today and Cleveland.com, first pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Tampa Bay will send right-hander Drew Rasmussen to the mound, while Guardians manager Stephen Vogt selected Foster Griffin shortly before Sunday's workout, according to ESPN. The best-of-seven series will determine which team advances to the World Series.

Cleveland overcame a 2-0 deficit against Chicago to win the Division Series, finishing with a 2-0 victory in Game 5. According to Cleveland.com, the Guardians recorded 75 strikeouts across the series, including 21 in the deciding game, setting postseason records. Gavin Williams delivered 5 2/3 scoreless innings in the finale and struck out 12 batters before the bullpen completed the shutout.

Rays manager Kevin Cash praised Cleveland's pitching development and organizational approach ahead of the series. Cash previously worked as Cleveland's bullpen coach under Terry Francona before taking charge in Tampa Bay.

"There's more similarities than not," Cash said, describing the relationship between the organizations, according to Cleveland.com. He also praised their approach to developing pitchers and evaluating talent.

Cash said Cleveland's performance against Chicago demonstrated the quality of its pitching staff, particularly Williams' ability to generate strikeouts while limiting scoring opportunities. Tampa Bay's lineup, which emphasizes contact hitting, will face a substantial challenge against Cleveland's swing-and-miss pitching.

"We're contact-oriented, and they have a pitching staff that's got a lot of swing-and-miss stuff," Cash said, according to Cleveland.com. He expressed confidence that Tampa Bay's hitters would adjust to the Guardians' approach.

Rasmussen will make his first ALCS start after pitching against the Yankees in the Division Series. ESPN reported that he will have eight days of rest, while Freddy Peralta, Nick Martinez and Griffin Jax will also be available with adequate recovery time. Cash described Rasmussen as the obvious choice for the opener following his recent performance.

"It's crazy that we can probably all acknowledge he's a top-10 player in the entire world, and yet I think he's the most underrated player in all of baseball," Rasmussen said of Cleveland star Jose Ramirez, according to USA Today. Ramirez recorded two home runs and seven RBIs during the Guardians' Division Series comeback.

Rasmussen also highlighted the challenge posed by Cleveland's disciplined play. The Rays won five of six regular-season meetings between the teams, although five of those games were decided by one run, according to Cleveland.com.

"They're one of the organizations that fundamentally does everything right all the time," Rasmussen said of Cleveland. He added that the Guardians rarely make mistakes that allow opponents to gain an advantage.

Junior Caminero provides another connection between the clubs. Tampa Bay acquired the infielder from Cleveland in November 2021 in exchange for right-hander Tobias Myers. According to MLB.com, Tampa Bay's scouts identified Caminero's exceptional hitting potential while he was playing in the Dominican Republic, where relatively few teams were conducting extensive evaluations.

"In that moment, as a young player, I was surprised," Caminero said, recalling his reaction to the trade in an interview with MLB.com. He wondered why Cleveland had moved him after only one season in the Dominican Summer League.

Rays personnel later recognized Caminero's potential as a power hitter. MLB.com reported that he advanced rapidly through Tampa Bay's minor league system and reached the team's postseason roster in 2023, at age 20. He has since developed into one of the major leagues' leading power hitters, adding a personal dimension to the upcoming series.

"They were the team that made me a professional. So who knows, without them, if I would even be here," Caminero said through interpreter Kevin Vera, according to MLB.com. He also described Tampa Bay as home and praised the support he has received from the organization.

Tampa Bay will not have left-hander Shane McClanahan for the remainder of the postseason. Cash announced that the club had decided against pushing the pitcher to return after forearm tightness sidelined him in early September. McClanahan finished his comeback season with a 3.36 ERA across 24 starts, according to ESPN and Cleveland.com.

The series continues Tuesday, October 13, with Game 2 in Tampa Bay before moving to Cleveland for Game 3 on Thursday, October 15, according to USA Today. The Rays enter the opener with additional recovery time, while Cleveland must manage its pitching staff after an emotionally and physically demanding Division Series.