Update (1:07 p.m. ET, Sunday): Cleveland’s starting lineup for ALCS Game 5 has been confirmed, with Steven Kwan leading off in left field and Jose Ramirez batting second at third base.
The Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians meet in Rays vs Guardians ALCS Game 5 on Sunday at Progressive Field with the series tied 2-2. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. ET, and the winner will take a one-game edge heading into a potential Game 6 in St. Petersburg.
Game 4 was moved to Saturday night after a rainout wiped out Friday’s schedule, compressing the series into a tighter stretch. The biggest question entering Sunday is whether Tampa Bay’s pitching, which has carried the club through the playoffs, can hold up on short turnaround against a Cleveland lineup still chasing the franchise’s first World Series trip since 2016.
ALCS Game 5 Information
- Date: Sunday, Oct. 18
- Time: 5 p.m. ET
- Venue: Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio
- TV/Streaming: TBS, truTV
- Series: ALCS Game 5, series tied 2-2
- Weather: 66°F, 0% chance of precipitation
Ticket prices for Game 5 had dropped nearly 40% since Thursday, according to USA Today. Tampa Bay answered the rainout disruption by beating Cleveland 7-3 in the rescheduled Game 4, evening the series at two games apiece, according to Total Apex Sports’ recap of Game 4.
Confirmed Guardians Starting Lineup For Game 5
Cleveland’s lineup has been confirmed for Game 5. Steven Kwan starts in left field and bats leadoff, followed by Jose Ramirez at third base, Chase DeLauter in right field, Jo Adell at designated hitter and Nathaniel Lowe at first base. Travis Bazzana bats sixth at second base, with Patrick Bailey catching seventh, Petey Halpin in center field eighth and Brayan Rocchio at shortstop batting ninth.
Tampa Bay’s starting lineup had not been confirmed as of this update. The Rays are projected to send right-hander Drew Rasmussen to the mound, with Cleveland countering with left-hander Parker Messick.
Who Are The Probable Starters For Game 5?
Rasmussen enters Game 5 with a 1.29 ERA and a 1-0 postseason record. He started Game 1 of this series as well, a 7-3 Cleveland win in which the Guardians scored all their runs in the sixth inning or later. Messick carries a 3.09 ERA and is 0-2 this postseason. Both are listed as probable starters pending any late changes.
How Have The Teams Played Over The Last Five Games?
Cleveland went 3-2 over its last five games, including wins of 2-0 over the White Sox and 7-3 over Tampa Bay sandwiched around a 3-1 loss, before falling 7-3 in Game 4. The Rays also went 3-2 in their last five, capped by the 7-3 Game 4 win that squared the series. Tampa Bay finished the regular season 98-64, best in the American League East, while Cleveland went 85-77 to top the AL Central.
What Is The Status Of The Injury Report?
Cleveland’s injury list includes first baseman Rhys Hoskins on the 10-day injured list with back inflammation, reliever Colin Holderman on the 15-day injured list following right wrist surgery, and reliever Andrew Walters out after right elbow surgery. Tampa Bay’s list includes outfielder Gavin Lux (60-day IL, left shoulder inflammation), reliever Edwin Uceta (60-day IL, right shoulder strain), reliever Jonathan Heasley (60-day IL, right elbow fracture), left-hander Shane McClanahan (out, left forearm soreness) and outfielder Jacob Melton (60-day IL, right hamstring strain). All designations are as officially listed and subject to change before first pitch.
By The Numbers
- Team ERA: Guardians 2.93, Rays 2.76
- Team batting average: Guardians .232, Rays .214
- Team OPS: Guardians .682, Rays .597
- Strikeouts per nine innings (pitching): Guardians 12.8, Rays 9.3
- Team WHIP: Guardians 1.06, Rays 1.00
- Opponent batting average: Guardians .200, Rays .204
- Home runs allowed: Guardians 4, Rays 6
- Quality starts: Guardians 0, Rays 3
Key Matchup: Rasmussen’s Command Against A Confirmed Cleveland Lineup
Rasmussen’s 1.29 ERA headlines a Tampa Bay pitching staff carrying a 2.76 team ERA and a 1.00 WHIP this postseason. Cleveland’s confirmed lineup puts Jose Ramirez and Chase DeLauter back to back near the top of the order, giving the Guardians their best two bats an early chance against Rasmussen. The Rays limited Cleveland to a .200 opponent batting average as a staff, a mark that will be tested against Kwan, Ramirez and DeLauter in the first three spots.
On the other side, Messick’s 3.09 ERA will face a Rays offense built around Junior Caminero, who led Tampa Bay with 42 home runs and 101 RBIs on the season.
Players To Watch
Junior Caminero, Rays third baseman
Caminero’s 42 home runs and 101 RBIs led Tampa Bay in the regular season, and his MLB Rating of 630.8 topped the roster. He remains the Rays’ primary power threat against a Cleveland pitching staff that has held postseason opponents to a .200 average.
Jose Ramirez, Guardians third baseman
Ramirez is confirmed to bat second in Cleveland’s Game 5 lineup, hitting behind leadoff man Steven Kwan. He gives the Guardians a run producer at the top of the order against a Rays staff that has walked just 16 batters in seven playoff games.
Drew Rasmussen, Rays right-hander
Rasmussen started Game 1 of this series, a 7-3 loss in which Cleveland scored all its runs from the sixth inning on. He takes the mound again in Game 5 carrying a 1.29 postseason ERA, according to Fox Sports‘ coverage of the series opener.
What To Watch
Cleveland is two wins away from its first World Series appearance since 2016, while Tampa Bay is looking to close out the series before a potential Game 6 back in St. Petersburg on Monday. With Cleveland’s lineup now set and Kwan, Ramirez and DeLauter lined up at the top, the Guardians will try to generate the kind of late-game runs that decided Game 1. For context on how the series has unfolded, see Total Apex Sports’ Game 4 lineup report and the Game 3 recap.
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