Our Cleveland Guardians vs Tampa Bay Rays preview covers the odds, run line, moneyline, total, probable pitchers, first pitch time, TV channel and where to watch for Game 1 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) on Monday, October 12, 2026. The No. 1-seeded Tampa Bay Rays (98-64) host the No. 2-seeded Cleveland Guardians (85-77) at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. It is the opener of the best-of-seven series. First pitch is 8:00 PM ET (5:00 PM PT). TV: TBS / truTV / HBO Max.
ALCS storyline: Cleveland beat Chicago 2-0 in ALDS Game 5 at Progressive Field on Saturday night, Oct. 10, on José Ramírez’s two-run homer and 5 2/3 scoreless, one-hit innings from Gavin Williams, completing the first comeback from an 0-2 series deficit in franchise history (MLB Stats API, MLB.com). Tampa Bay swept New York and clinched with a 4-3 win at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 7, so the Rays come in with four days off, while the Guardians open the series less than 48 hours after Game 5 (MLB Stats API, MLB.com). The teams last met in the postseason in the 2022 AL Wild Card Series, which Cleveland swept 2-1 and 1-0 in 15 innings (MLB.com). The probable pitchers are Foster Griffin for the Guardians and Drew Rasmussen for the Rays. DraftKings lists the Rays at -169 and the Guardians at +139 on the moneyline, with the total at 6.5.
Cleveland Guardians vs Tampa Bay Rays Odds, Run Line & Game Info
| Matchup | Cleveland Guardians @ Tampa Bay Rays |
|---|---|
| Series | American League Championship Series (ALCS), Game 1 — best-of-seven, 2-3-2 format; series starts 0-0 |
| ALCS Schedule | Game 1: Monday, Oct. 12, 8 PM ET (Tropicana Field); Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 13, 8 PM ET (Tropicana Field); Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 15, 6 PM ET (Progressive Field); Game 4: Friday, Oct. 16, 6 PM ET (Progressive Field); Game 5*: Saturday, Oct. 17, 8 PM ET (Progressive Field); Game 6*: Monday, Oct. 19, 5 PM ET (Tropicana Field); Game 7*: Tuesday, Oct. 20, 8 PM ET (Tropicana Field) (*if necessary) |
| Seeds | Cleveland Guardians No. 2 | Tampa Bay Rays No. 1 (AL) |
| 2026 Records | Cleveland Guardians 85-77 (44-37 on the road) | Tampa Bay Rays 98-64 (55-26 at home) |
| ALDS Results | Guardians: beat the White Sox 3-2 (L 0-3, L 3-4, W 9-3, W 9-5, W 2-0) | Rays: beat the Yankees 3-0 (W 1-0, W 5-2, W 4-3) |
| How They Got Here | Guardians: First-round bye as AL Central champion; beat the No. 6 Chicago White Sox 3-2 in the ALDS after losing Games 1 and 2 | Rays: First-round bye as AL East champion; swept the No. 4 New York Yankees 3-0 in the ALDS |
| Run Line | Guardians +1.5 (-158) | Rays -1.5 (+130) |
| Moneyline | Cleveland Guardians: +139 | Tampa Bay Rays: -169 |
| Total | O/U 6.5 (Over -120 / Under +100) |
| Probable Pitchers | Guardians: Foster Griffin (LHP, 15-6, 3.60 ERA, 31 GS, 172.2 IP, 158 K, 45 BB, 1.21 WHIP) | Rays: Drew Rasmussen (RHP, 16-5, 2.67 ERA, 30 GS, 172.0 IP, 174 K, 32 BB, 0.91 WHIP; 8 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 10 K in ALDS Game 1) |
| Managers | Cleveland Guardians: Stephen Vogt | Tampa Bay Rays: Kevin Cash |
| Venue | Tropicana Field (St. Petersburg, Fla.) |
| Date / Time | Monday, October 12, 2026 — 8:00 PM ET (5:00 PM PT) |
| TV / How to Watch | TBS / truTV / HBO Max (Spanish: Univision/TUDN per the MLB Stats API) |
| 2026 Season Series | Rays won the 2026 season series 5-1 and outscored the Guardians 20-8 |
Odds via DraftKings (through ESPN) as of Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, 10:49 AM ET. Opening line: Guardians +138 / Rays -168, total 7. Lines move, so check your sportsbook before first pitch.
Guardians vs Rays ALCS Series Context
Format: The ALCS is a best-of-seven series in a 2-3-2 format. Games 1 and 2 are at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, home of the top-seeded Rays, on Monday and Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET; Games 3, 4 and 5 are at Progressive Field (Thursday and Friday at 6 p.m. ET, Saturday at 8 p.m. ET); and Games 6 and 7, if necessary, return to Tropicana Field (MLB Stats API). The Rays played the 2025 season at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa after hurricane damage to the Tropicana Field roof and are back at the Trop this season (MLB Stats API venue: Tropicana Field).
Guardians’ ALDS path: Chicago won the first two games at Progressive Field, 3-0 behind Munetaka Murakami’s two-run homer and 4-3 on Braden Montgomery’s two-out, two-run double. Cleveland won 9-3 at Rate Field in Game 3 as its pitchers struck out 19, with Foster Griffin striking out seven in 2 2/3 innings of relief, and forced Game 5 with a 9-5 win on Thursday after a six-run sixth inning. In Game 5, Ramírez hit a two-run homer off Sean Burke (L) in the fourth, scoring Steven Kwan, and Williams (W) allowed one hit over 5 2/3 scoreless innings with two walks and 12 strikeouts on 94 pitches. Erik Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith (save, 1 2/3 innings, four strikeouts) finished a three-hitter before 36,889 fans (MLB Stats API box scores).
Rays’ ALDS path: Drew Rasmussen carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning of a 1-0 Game 1 win at Tropicana Field, with Jonathan Aranda’s homer off Gerrit Cole the only run. Tampa Bay won Game 2 5-2 behind a four-run fifth as the Yankees committed four errors. In Game 3 at Yankee Stadium, Aranda singled in the first run, Ryan Vilade hit a solo homer in the fourth and Victor Mesa Jr. hit a two-run homer in the sixth, all off Max Fried (L), and Ian Seymour (W) and four relievers protected a 4-3 lead after an Anthony Volpe double on fan interference cut it to one run in the sixth. Bryan Baker saved all three games (MLB Stats API box scores, MLB.com).
Head-to-head: Tampa Bay won the 2026 season series 5-1 and outscored Cleveland 20-8, winning two of three at Progressive Field on April 27-29 and sweeping three at Tropicana Field on July 24-26. Five of the six games were decided by three runs or fewer, and the Rays won two of them 1-0 (MLB Stats API, MLB.com). Williams pitched Cleveland’s lone win, allowing an unearned run in 7 2/3 innings on April 29 (MLB.com).
Cleveland Guardians Preview: ALCS Game 1
Season in review: Manager Stephen Vogt‘s Guardians went 85-77 to win the AL Central for the third straight season and earned the AL’s No. 2 seed, going 41-40 at home and 44-37 on the road and 8-2 in their last 10 regular-season games (MLB Stats API, MLB.com). Cleveland scored 678 runs and allowed 667, hit .239 with a .696 OPS and 162 home runs, stole 146 bases and posted a 3.77 team ERA with 46 saves (MLB Stats API). Chase DeLauter led the club with an .820 OPS, Ramírez stole 37 bases, and Smith had 41 saves (MLB Stats API team leaders).
Lineup notes: Cleveland hit .212 (34-for-160) with 23 runs, three homers and 27 walks in the ALDS, went 10-for-37 with runners in scoring position and left 34 men on base (MLB Stats API box scores). After going hitless in Games 1 and 2, Ramírez went 5-for-12 with two homers and seven RBIs in Games 3-5, and Jo Adell drove in six runs in the series (MLB.com, MLB Stats API). Petey Halpin went 2-for-3 with two doubles in Game 5 after replacing Angel Martínez, who was 0-for-15 in Games 1-4. MLB.com’s projected Game 1 lineup: Kwan (LF), Ramírez (3B), DeLauter (RF), Adell (DH), Nathaniel Lowe (1B), Travis Bazzana (2B), Patrick Bailey (C), Halpin (CF) and Brayan Rocchio (SS).
Pitching and injuries: Guardians pitchers posted a 3.00 ERA with 75 strikeouts in 45 innings in the ALDS (MLB Stats API). Williams started Game 5 and Parker Messick started Game 4, so MLB.com does not list either as an option for Game 1. In Game 5, Gaddis threw 24 pitches and Smith 27 (MLB Stats API). ESPN lists 1B Rhys Hoskins (back inflammation, 10-day IL), RHP Colin Holderman (wrist surgery, 15-day IL) and RHP Andrew Walters (elbow surgery, out).
Tampa Bay Rays Preview: ALCS Game 1
Season in review: Under manager Kevin Cash, the Rays went 98-64 (55-26 at home, 43-38 on the road) to win the AL East and earn the AL’s No. 1 seed. Tampa Bay scored 736 runs and allowed 650, hit .258 with a .728 OPS, stole 164 bases and posted a 3.70 team ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 58 saves (MLB Stats API). Junior Caminero led the club with 42 homers and 101 RBIs, Aranda drove in 92 runs, Chandler Simpson hit .306 with 46 steals, and Baker had 41 saves (MLB Stats API team leaders). The Rays struck out less than any team in the majors (MLB.com). Tampa Bay is seeking its third World Series trip and first title (MLB.com).
Lineup notes: Tampa Bay hit .208 (20-for-96) with 10 runs and three homers in the ALDS and went 2-for-20 with runners in scoring position; Aranda went 4-for-12 with a homer (MLB Stats API box scores). MLB.com’s projected Game 1 lineup, the one Cash used in Games 1 and 2 of the ALDS: Yandy Díaz (DH), Aranda (1B), Caminero (3B), Liam Hicks (C), Simpson (LF), Mesa Jr. (RF), Jonny DeLuca (CF), Richie Palacios (2B) and Taylor Walls (SS), with Vilade an outfield option against a left-hander. Caminero, Díaz and reliever Kevin Kelly were all once in the Cleveland organization (MLB.com).
Bullpen and injuries: Rays pitchers posted a 1.67 ERA in the ALDS and held New York to a .130 average (12-for-92) (MLB Stats API box scores). In Game 3, Seymour, Griffin Jax, Cam Booser, Kelly and Baker covered 5 1/3 innings after Nick Martinez. MLB.com lists Freddy Peralta and Martinez as the likely Game 2 and 3 starters, with Jax or Seymour as the fourth starter. ESPN lists LHP Shane McClanahan (forearm) as out, and OF Gavin Lux (shoulder), RHP Edwin Uceta (shoulder), RHP Jonathan Heasley (elbow), RHP Ryan Pepiot (hip surgery) and OF Jacob Melton (hamstring) on the 60-day IL.
Starting Pitchers: Foster Griffin vs Drew Rasmussen
Guardians: Foster Griffin (LHP). Cleveland lists Griffin as its Game 1 starter (MLB Stats API). The 31-year-old left-hander went 15-6 with a 3.60 ERA in 31 starts this season, with 158 strikeouts, 45 walks, a 1.21 WHIP and a .248 opponents’ average in 172 2/3 innings, and he did not face Tampa Bay (MLB Stats API). In ALDS Game 3 at Rate Field on Oct. 7 he entered in the first inning with two outs and runners on second and third, struck out Tristan Peters and finished with seven strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings (two hits, one run, 53 pitches), a Cleveland record for a reliever (MLB Stats API box score, AP). He pitches Monday on four days’ rest.
Rays: Drew Rasmussen (RHP). Rasmussen went 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA in 30 starts this season, with 174 strikeouts, 32 walks, a 0.91 WHIP and a .199 opponents’ average in 172 innings, and a 2.87 ERA in 15 home starts (MLB Stats API). He faced Cleveland twice: five innings and two earned runs in a 3-1 loss at Progressive Field on April 29, and seven scoreless innings (one hit, one walk, nine strikeouts) in a 1-0 win at Tropicana Field on July 26. In ALDS Game 1 on Oct. 3 he threw eight scoreless innings against the Yankees, allowing one hit and two walks with 10 strikeouts on 101 pitches, and Monday is nine days later (MLB Stats API, MLB.com). In four career postseason games (two starts) he is 1-0 with a 2.13 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings (MLB Stats API).
Key Matchup Notes: Guardians vs Rays Game 1
- Rest: Tampa Bay has not played since Wednesday, while Cleveland played a deciding Game 5 on Saturday night and used its top two starters in Games 4 and 5 (MLB Stats API, MLB.com).
- Run prevention: Tampa Bay’s 3.70 team ERA and Cleveland’s 3.77 were close in the regular season. In the Division Series, Rays pitchers had a 1.67 ERA, and Guardians pitchers had a 3.00 ERA with 75 strikeouts (MLB Stats API).
- Close games: Five of the six regular-season meetings were decided by three runs or fewer, and three by one run (MLB Stats API, MLB.com). DraftKings lists the Game 1 total at 6.5.
- Left-handed pitching: SI noted the Rays had a .678 OPS against left-handers this season, compared with .751 against right-handers, and Griffin, Cleveland’s Game 1 starter, is left-handed.
How to Watch Cleveland Guardians vs Tampa Bay Rays – ALCS Game 1
Date: Monday, October 12, 2026
First pitch: 8:00 PM ET (5:00 PM PT)
Venue: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla.
TV / Streaming: TBS, truTV and HBO Max (MLB Stats API, MLB.com; ESPN also lists TBS and truTV). The MLB Stats API lists Univision/TUDN for Spanish-language TV, and MLB.com says Spanish-language ALCS telecasts are on UniMás, with Spanish radio on Univision’s TUDN Radio.
The ALCS winner advances to the World Series against the NLCS winner (MLB Stats API). Game 2 is Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. ET at Tropicana Field (MLB Stats API). Check the run line, moneyline and total above against your sportsbook before the October 12, 2026 first pitch, and look for official lineups closer to game time.