And then there were four.
The American League Championship Series kicks off Monday night as the Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays open a best-of-seven series at Tropicana Field.
The Guardians scaled an 0–2 series deficit to beat the Chicago White Sox in five games, while the Rays come off a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees.
Tampa Bay dominated the regular-season series against Cleveland — winning five of six games with a 20–8 run differential — ahead of the clubs’ first-ever ALCS clash.
Looking at the pitching probables, Cleveland southpaw Foster Griffin (15–6, 3.60 ERA) will square off with Tampa Bay right-hander Drew Rasmussen (16–5, 2.67 ERA).
First pitch is at 8 p.m. ET. The Rays enter as 1.5-run home favorites with -174 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Guardians are +143 underdogs, with the game total set at O/U 6.5 runs.
Guardians vs. Rays ALCS Game 1 Preview
Cleveland Guardians
The ever-resilient Guardians are back in the ALCS for the second time in three years, after erasing an 0–2 series deficit against the resurgent White Sox. The club is eyeing its first pennant in 10 years — and a chance to compete for its first World Series title since 1948 — after its devastating 2016 World Series loss to the Chicago Cubs.
Cleveland’s offense struggled throughout much of the season but found its groove when it mattered the most. Facing elimination in the ALDS, the team piled up nine runs in back-to-back games in Chicago before franchise centerpiece Jose Ramirez hit a monumental two-run blast in the decisive Game 5.
The Guardians will now look to carry that momentum into Tampa when they hand the ball to Foster Griffin. The veteran southpaw, 31, is coming off a triumphant return to MLB after spending the last three years in Japan. Griffin — who joined the Guardians from the Nationals at the trade deadline — finished the 2026 regular season with a 3.60 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, a .246 opponent batting average, and 8.24 strikeouts per nine innings across 31 starts (172.2 IP), earning his first career All-Star nod. Speaking of firsts, Monday marks Griffin’s maiden postseason start after he delivered 2.2 clutch innings of long relief — one earned run on two hits with seven strikeouts — in his October debut in Cleveland’s Game 3 win over the White Sox.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays return to the ALCS for the first time since capturing the pennant in 2020, following a brisk three-game sweep of the Yankees. They join the Milwaukee Brewers as one of the two remaining postseason teams that have never won a World Series.
Tropicana Field hosts a potent yet disciplined offense headlined by Junior Caminero, Yandy Diaz, and Jonathan Aranda. The formidable lineup held its own against a historically dominant Yankees pitching staff, chasing Cy Young favorite Cam Schlittler inside five innings in Game 2 before hitting a pair of home runs off Max Fried in the series finale.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay’s pitching staff was untouchable — and it’s running it back with Drew Rasmussen to set the tone for another series. The veteran right-hander, 31, was brilliant across 30 regular-season starts (172 IP), finishing with a 2.67 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP, a .198 opponent average, and 9.10 strikeouts per nine innings. Rasmussen performed well in two turns against the Guardians, highlighted by a seven-inning shutout on one hit and one walk with nine K’s at the Trop in July. He somehow dialed it up a notch in the series opener with New York, taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning while racking up 10 strikeouts.
Guardians vs. Rays ALCS Game 1 Pick, Best Bet
Although both teams are chugging along with a full head of steam, the Rays have a clear edge on Monday night with Drew Rasmussen on the bump. The righty is fresh off extinguishing the Yankees’ Wild-Card momentum, and he’s well-positioned to deliver another masterful performance against a far less imposing Guardians lineup. With additional rest, a raucous home atmosphere, and a dangerous top of the order, Tampa Bay has the tools to strike first in the ALCS.
