The Tampa Bay Rays will play the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Championship Series, which begins Monday at Tropicana Field.<\/p>\n
The Guardians advanced by winning 2-0<\/a> in the deciding Game 5 of their AL Division Series over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday.<\/p>\n Here is the ALCS schedule:<\/p>\n Game 1 \u2013 Monday at Tropicana Field, 8 p.m. If the National League Championship Series is over, Game 6 will move to 8 p.m.<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> to purchase postseason tickets for Tropicana Field.<\/p>\n Rays manager Kevin Cash must turn in a 26-man roster for the series by 10 a.m. Monday. During an online press conference Friday, he said it would be \u201csimilar\u201d to the ALDS lineup, which used 12 pitchers \u2013 but this time with a four-man starting rotation.<\/p>\n The first three starters would likely be the same as the Yankees series: right-handers Drew Rasmussen, Freddy Peralta and Nick Martinez. A decision whether to use the team\u2019s fourth and fifth starter \u2013 righty Griffin Jax and left-hander Ian Seymour \u2013 remains. Both were outstanding in relief appearances in Game 3 against New York.<\/p>\n ALSO READ: Rays celebrate sweeping Yankees, advancing to AL Championship Series<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI would feel confident that we\u2019re going to continue to lean heavily on those guys,\u201d Cash said.<\/p>\n The Guardians won the AL Central Division with record of 85-77, one game ahead of the White Sox. As the No. 2 seed, they had a first-round bye. They became 11th team to lose the first two games of a best-of-five postseason series and then come back to win. <\/p>\n Jose Ramirez hit a two-run home run and starter Gavin Williams had 12 of Cleveland’s 21 strikeouts, pitching 5\u2154 innings two days after closing Game 4 in relief. Ram\u00edrez, who went 0-for-6 in the series losses, went 5-for-12 with two homers and seven RBIs in the three wins. <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s been through a lot this year,\u201d Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said of Ramirez, who missed five weeks and dealt with lingering pain after fracturing his left wrist in June. \u201cWe\u2019ve been through a lot this year. And we cannot wait to play again on Monday. And I cannot wait to keep watching Jose Ramirez do what he does.\u201d<\/p>\n The Rays went 5-1 against the Guardians \u2013 including three shutouts \u2013 this season. Tampa Bay took two of three at Progressive Field and swept three games at Tropicana Field while outscoring Cleveland 20-8.<\/p>\n Tampa Bay has the homefield advantage because it finished with the AL\u2019s best record at 98-64, winning the AL East Division.<\/p>\n The Rays, who also had a first-round bye, advanced to the ALCS with a three-game sweep over the New York Yankees. Both games at Tropicana Field were sellouts, with crowds over 40,000.<\/p>\n ALSO READ: Rays’ Experience Center will offer fans, team partners previews of new Tampa stadium<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt feels like every single game, it’s exciting,\u201d Tampa Bay outfielder Jonny DeLuca said. \u201cThe crowd has been electric here at the Trop. Everywhere we play is going to be electric, so these games are super fun.\u201d<\/p>\n It will be the third postseason meeting of Tampa Bay and Cleveland following the Rays\u2019 win in the 2013 wild-card game<\/a> and the Guardians\u2019 sweep in the 2022 Wild Card Series<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Game 2 \u2013 Tuesday at Tropicana Field, 8 p.m.
Game 3 \u2013 Thursday, Oct. 15 at Cleveland\/Chicago, 6 p.m.
Game 4 \u2013 Friday at Cleveland\/Chicago,6 p.m.
Game 5 \u2013 Saturday, Oct. 17 at Cleveland\/Chicago (if necessary), 8 p.m.
Game 6 \u2013 Monday, Oct. 19 at Tropicana Field (if necessary), 5 or 8 p.m.
Game 7 \u2013 Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Tropicana Field (if necessary), 8 p.m.<\/p>\n