CLEVELAND, Ohio – Momentum will swing heavily to one side as the Cleveland Guardians host the Tampa Bay Rays in a pivotal Game 5 of the ALCS today – Sunday, Oct. 18 – at Progressive Field.
Check out details on how to watch this Guardians vs. Rays ALCS game on TV and streaming services:
- What: MLB ALCS Game 5: Cleveland Guardians vs. Tampa Bay Rays
- When: Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026
- Time: 5:10 p.m. Eastern
- Channel: TBS, truTV, HBO Max and Univision (Spanish)
- Where: Progressive Field | Cleveland, Ohio
- Streaming options: DIRECTV (free trial and $35 off your first month) and SlingTV
How do I watch Guardians vs. Rays ALCS game for free today?
This Guardians vs. Rays ALCS game will broadcast live on TBS, truTV, HBO Max and Univision (Spanish) at 5:10 p.m. Eastern.
Baseball fans who have parted ways with their local cable provider can watch at no cost by grabbing a free trial from DIRECTV, which also offers $35 off your first month.
Fans can also watch this game on SlingTV with the Sling Orange for just $45.99 per month. Sling Orange includes TBS, TNT and ESPN, among other channels.
Cleveland Guardians
The Guardians couldn’t find another batch of postseason magic, falling to the Rays, 7-3, in Game 4 at Progressive Field on Oct. 17.
Cleveland had flashes of offense, but was saddled with missteps and two untimely errors. They mustered eight hits on the chilly evening.
The rookies were the key component of the offense in Game 4.
Chase DeLauter kickstarted the scoring with an RBI single. Travis Bazzana recorded his first career postseason home run in the bottom of the seventh, cutting Tampa Bay’s lead to 5-2.
Brayan Rocchio added an RBI single in the same inning, inching Cleveland closer, 5-3.
The Guardians used seven pitchers. Foster Griffin went the furthest, eating up three and two-thirds innings while allowing one earned run off four hits while striking out five.
Guardians players to watch
Chase DeLauter
DeLauter has six hits in his last five games, including one home run, two doubles and three RBI.
Jo Adell
Adell has three hits in his last five games, including a double and two RBI. He has also struck out six times in that span.
Jose Ramirez
Ramirez had a six-game hitting streak snapped. But he preserved his three-year postseason on-base streak, which sits at 16 straight games.
Watch Guardians vs. Rays Game 5 for free on DIRECTV
Tampa Bay Rays
The Big Three of Yandy Diaz, Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero finally woke up the bats in Game 4. The trio was responsible for all seven runs in the offensive outburst.
Aranda notched an RBI single to even it up in the top of the third, followed up with a Caminero RBI double in the top of the sixth to give Tampa Bay the lead for good.
The Rays busted it open with a three-run seventh inning.
Richie Palacios scored on an error in the top of the seventh, which also saw Taylor Walls score after a costly fielding error from Chase DeLauter. The play began with a single from Aranda. He eventually found his way home with a Chandler Simpson sac fly, upping the lead to 5-1.
Diaz put up the exclamation point with a two-run homer in the top of the ninth, just out of the reach of DeLauter.
Tampa Bay used five relievers behind starter Nick Martinez, who delivered a stellar outing. He went five and one-thirds innings, allowing two hits, including one earned run while striking out three and walking two.
Rays players to watch
Junior Caminero
Caminero has four hits in his last five games, including two doubles and two RBI.
Jonathan Aranda
Aranda snapped out of 0-for-10 funk with a three-hit performance in Game 4.
Yandy Diaz
Diaz has a hit in seven of his last eight games. He has also struck out at least once each game against the Guardians this postseason, including three in Game 4.
Today’s pitching matchup
CLE Parker Messick (0-2, 3.09 ERA) vs. TB Drew Rasmussen (1-0, 1.29)
Despite his two recent losses, Messick, with an extra day of rest, was the no-brainer call for Game 5. The 12-game winner is an AL Cy Young candidate and a strong pick for AL Rookie of the Year. In three starts this postseason, Messick has pitched 11 and two-thirds innings, allowing 12 hits and four earned runs. The left-hander has 14 strikeouts while walking eight.
Set-up specialists Hunter Gaddis, Erik Sabrowski and closer Cade Smith were all kept out of Game 4.
Rasmussen, starting on five days’ rest, will try to give the Rays enough of an edge to return to the Sunshine State with a 3-2 series lead. Tampa Bay’s ace won 16 games in the regular season and has been strong this postseason. In two starts, he has pitched 14 innings, allowing nine hits and two earned runs. The right-hander has also struck out 10 while walking just two.
Among other options, Kevin Cash briefly went with Freddy Peralta (nine pitches) out of the bullpen in Game 4 to preserve the lead. He is still expected to be available as the starter for Game 6.
Ian Seymour was the only Rays reliever that threw more than 16 pitches in Game 4.
What is the weather forecast for Guardians vs. Rays Game 5?
According to the National Weather Service, sunny skies are expected, with a high near 61. Southwest wind 7 to 9 mph.
Who is announcing Guardians vs. Rays Game 5?
Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Ron Darling (analyst) and Jeff Francoeur (analyst) will be the announcers while Lauren Shehadi will report from the field.
What are the latest odds for Guardians vs. Rays Game 5?
Spread: CLE: (+1.5), TB: (-1.5)
Moneyline: CLE: (+113), TB: (-136)
Run total: 6.5
