Rain has put ALCS Game 4 between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians in doubt, with Tampa Bay one loss from a 3-1 series deficit. A “steady, moderately heavy” rain was described as falling on Progressive Field in Cleveland at 5 p.m. ET, about three hours before the scheduled 8:08 p/m. first pitch.
At 7:20, after hours of rain, MLB announced that the start of the game would indeed be delayed. But no new start time was announced. At 7:45, “the Cleveland Guardians’ grounds crew has begun working on the warning track,” according to reporter Jack Berney.
Finally, at 9 p.m., MLB announced that the game was postponed, and would be played Sunday.
“Major League Baseball tonight announced that ALCS Game 4 against the Tampa Bay Rays has been moved due to inclement weather,” the Guardians announced on their social media channels moments later. “Fans with tickets to the original ALCS Game 4 on Friday, October 16 may use those same tickets for ALCS Game 5 on Sunday, October 18 at 5:00 p.m. ET. Gates will open at 2:30 p.m. ET. Fans with tickets for the originally scheduled ALCS Game 5 on Saturday, October 17 do not need to take any action. That game will now be played as ALCS Game 4. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. ET for the 8:00 p.m. ET first pitch.”
The game Sunday was set to start at 5:08 p.m. ET.
“Due to inclement conditions, ALCS Game 4 between the Rays and Guardians has been postponed to Saturday at 8 pm ET. Game 5 will shift to Sunday at 5 pm ET,” MLB posted on the league’s official account.
The call by MLB made Game 4 the first ALCS game to be postponed since 2019, when the Yankees hosted the Houston Astros, Reedy reported. Game 4 airs on TBS and HBO Max, according to WKBN‘s Game 4 broadcast report.
| CLEVELAND GUARDIANS STARTING LINEUP | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP: Shawn Armstrong (RHP) • 2-1, 4.58 ERA | ||||
| ALCS Game 4 • October 16, 2026 • Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH • 8:00 PM ET • Rays (1-2) at Guardians (2-1) | ||||
| # | Player | Pos | AVG | SLG |
| 1 | Steven Kwan | LF | .282 | .349 |
| 2 | José Ramírez | 3B | .235 | .368 |
| 3 | Chase DeLauter | RF | .287 | .457 |
| 4 | Jo Adell | DH | .240 | .401 |
| 5 | Nathaniel Lowe | 1B | .252 | .444 |
| 6 | Travis Bazzana | 2B | .245 | .408 |
| 7 | Patrick Bailey | C | .206 | .335 |
| 8 | Petey Halpin | CF | .225 | .326 |
| 9 | Brayan Rocchio | SS | .253 | .391 |
| Lineups confirmed. Regular season stats shown (AVG / SLG). ALCS Game 4 • Series: CLE leads 2-1. A Cleveland win clinches a 3-1 series lead. | ||||
Progressive Field Forecast for Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cleveland Guardians
The Weather Channel puts the chance of rain in Cleveland at 44 percent at 6 p.m. ET, 62 percent at 7 p.m. and 50 percent at 8 p.m., according to Bleacher Report‘s updated Game 4 forecast.
The National Weather Service forecasts showers mainly after 5 p.m., with an 80 percent chance, and again before 2 a.m., also at 80 percent. Winds out of the west and north hold near 20 mph, with gusts between 33 mph and 38 mph. Temperatures fall through the upper 50s and into the low 50s by evening.
Gusts reached 32 mph in downtown Cleveland during light rain earlier in the day, according to AccuWeather, via Central Oregon Daily. Winds of 27 mph are blowing in toward the plate with a temperature of 54 degrees, according to CBS Sports‘ Game 4 betting preview.
Cleveland leads the best-of-seven series 2-1 after Petey Halpin‘s two-run homer produced a 3-2 victory in Game 3, according to NBC Sports‘ report on Game 3. A win tonight would leave the Guardians one victory from their first World Series since 2016, according to Yahoo Sports‘ Game 4 preview.
MLB moved Game 3 from 6 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday to avoid evening showers, according to The Associated Press’ Game 3 report.
| TAMPA BAY RAYS STARTING LINEUP | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP: Nick Martinez (RHP) • 15-6, 3.10 ERA | ||||
| ALCS Game 4 • October 16, 2026 • Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH • 8:00 PM ET • Rays (1-2) at Guardians (2-1) | ||||
| # | Player | Pos | AVG | SLG |
| 1 | Yandy Díaz | DH | .293 | .446 |
| 2 | Jonathan Aranda | 1B | .274 | .434 |
| 3 | Chandler Simpson | LF | .306 | .356 |
| 4 | Junior Caminero | 3B | .276 | .524 |
| 5 | Liam Hicks | C | .284 | .434 |
| 6 | Víctor Mesa Jr. | RF | .260 | .498 |
| 7 | Jonny DeLuca | CF | .266 | .429 |
| 8 | Richie Palacios | 2B | .235 | .374 |
| 9 | Taylor Walls | SS | .222 | .298 |
| Lineups confirmed. Regular season stats shown (AVG / SLG). ALCS Game 4 • Series: CLE leads 2-1. | ||||
Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Guardians Pitching Plans and Schedule Impact
Shawn Armstrong will open for Cleveland in a bullpen game, and Nick Martinez will start for Tampa Bay, according to ESPN‘s Game 4 pitching story. Both clubs held back their pitching announcements because of the weather. Armstrong has allowed one hit in 5 1/3 postseason innings, with five strikeouts.
Martinez carries a 3.10 ERA over 180 innings this season. He had extra rest after manager Kevin Cash gave Game 3 to Griffin Jax, according to ClutchPoints, citing Marc Topkin’s reporting.
A stoppage after first pitch can end a starter’s night early. A two-hour, 27-minute rain delay knocked Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes out of a game against the Rays this season, and Tampa Bay rallied against the Pirates bullpen for a 13-inning win. “Probably Skenes coming out of the game, if we’re going to be honest,” Cash said, according to MLB.com‘s coverage of that Pittsburgh game.
Is the Rays-Guardians ALCS Game 4 Postponed? When Will it be Played?