Game 4 of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays was pushed back by heavy rain at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Friday night, with first pitch originally set for 8:08 p.m. ET. The delay added another twist to a series already shaped by the weather, and it arrived just as the Guardians prepared to hand the ball to a pitcher with a personal stake in the outcome: reliever Shawn Armstrong, who is set to make his first career postseason start against the team that employed him for four seasons.
Rain Washes Out First Pitch in Cleveland
As of 7 p.m. ET, light rain was still falling in Cleveland, per AccuWeather, with wind gusts of 33 miles per hour and a 70% chance of precipitation around the time of the scheduled first pitch. Less than an hour before the scheduled start, MLB said in a statement that Game 4 would "begin in a delay," adding that "We will provide updates regarding the preparation of the field and any other potential adjustments as they become available."
The weather drama was not new to this series. Thursday's Game 3 was moved up from 6 p.m. ET to 1 p.m. ET in order to avoid rain, and Game 4 was pushed back from 6:00 p.m. ET to 8:00 p.m. ET thanks to the Brewers eliminating the Dodgers in the NLCS, before the rain forced the additional delay. Grounds crews worked through the evening, and reports described standing water on the warning track as the tarp went on and off the field multiple times while the teams and the league monitored conditions for a possible late start.
Shawn Armstrong's Unlikely Return to the Spotlight
Once play resumes, the story shifts to the mound. Right-hander Shawn Armstrong will open for the Guardians against his former team, making his first career postseason start after appearing in 131 games for Tampa Bay over four seasons. Armstrong was drafted by Cleveland in the 18th round in 2011 and made his big league debut four years later, before being traded to Seattle in 2017 and spending time with four other organizations, including Tampa Bay, prior to signing with Cleveland this season.
Speaking before Thursday's game, Armstrong reflected on the moment, saying "obviously I played here, I got drafted here, coming back here and being able to be in this situation is -- words can't describe it." His postseason numbers back up the trust the Guardians have placed in him: in six career playoff appearances, throwing 7.2 innings overall, Armstrong has not allowed a run and has struck out nine batters in that limited sample.
A Bullpen Game by Design
Cleveland is treating Armstrong as an opener rather than a traditional starter. The Guardians are going with a bullpen game, with Armstrong serving as the opener and facing a pair of dangerous right-handed hitters who bat leadoff (Yandy Díaz) and third (Junior Caminero) for the Rays. Joey Cantillo could be the Guardians' primary option to pitch bulk innings behind Armstrong, giving manager Steven Vogt flexibility to mix matchups against a lineup that has given Cleveland trouble at times this series.
Nick Martinez for Tampa Bay
The Rays, meanwhile, are turning to a more conventional approach. Tampa Bay will start right-hander Nick Martinez (15-6, 3.10 ERA) as the club looks to even the series. The Rays also made a lineup tweak after Simpson's two-run triple in Game 3, bumping him up to the No. 3 spot to get an extra early lefty look against the righty-throwing Armstrong.
Series at a Glance
Cleveland enters the night firmly in control. Game 1 went to the Guardians, 7-3, before the Rays answered in Game 2, winning 3-1. The Guardians then took a 2-1 series lead after Petey Halpin's two-run homer propelled them to a 3-2 victory in Game 3 on Thursday, a result detailed in Petey Halpin's Game 3 heroics. A win in Game 4 would push the Guardians to within one victory of a return trip to the World Series.
What Comes Next
Beyond the mound matchup, the night carries extra weight for a Rays team that has already shown it can grind through adversity this October, having swept their way past the Yankees in the ALDS before reaching the ALCS. A loss in Game 4 would put Tampa Bay in a difficult 3-1 hole with the series set to shift pitching plans for any potential Game 5.
For now, the focus in Cleveland remains on the sky rather than the scoreboard. Crews continued monitoring conditions at Progressive Field as the two sides waited for a window to begin play, part of a broader MLB Playoffs schedule that has been repeatedly reshuffled by weather this postseason. Once the tarp comes off for good, Armstrong's return to face the organization that once employed him will be the opening chapter of a game both teams need.