MLB plans placed under threat as Guardians-Rays postseason clash delayed

20:00 ET, 16 Oct 2026Updated 21:05 ET, 16 Oct 2026

Mother Nature threw a wrench into MLB’s postseason plans after steady rain delayed the start of Friday’s clash between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians.

Less than one hour before first pitch in Game 4 of the ALCS, MLB announced that the contest would be indefinitely delayed due to the inclement weather in Ohio. One day earlier, the Los Angeles Dodgers were swept by the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS despite receiving a three-run home run off the bat of Shohei Ohtani.

A message on the stadium video board at Progressive Field read: “First pitch has been delayed due to current weather conditions. We are in contact with WKYC and MLB. We will keep you updated as we receive information. Please stay tuned and we are hopeful to get underway soon.”

As massive puddles formed along the warning track and poncho-adorning fans sought shelter, WKYC-TV 3’s Nick Camino reported that MLB top brass was still keen to “get this game in.”

At approximately 7:45, members of the grounds crew began pulling the tarp off the infield diamond, prompting a round of cheers from the sparse crowd in attendance. Yet 15 minutes later, the protective covering was placed back on the field.

According to Camino, the Guardians and Rays held a meeting with MLB at 6 p.m. ET to discuss potentially moving the start time to avoid the unfavorable weather conditions, yet no such decision was formally made. Three hours later, the league finally decided to postpone the game to Sunday, with Games 6 and 7 scheduled for Monday and Tuesday if needed.

This is hardly the first time that this year’s ALCS has been impacted by rain. On Thursday, MLB moved Game 3 up five hours with less than 24 hours' notice due to disruptive weather in the forecast later that evening.

Taking to social media, droves of Guardians fans expressed their frustration with the league's decision-making.

“Losing situation. Bad weather small crowd. Bull---- by the MLB all the way around,” an X user wrote, with another adding: “This is bull----. MLB is telling the world they don’t give a rats a-- about this series.

"Two teams now have to risk injury and possibly lose to the conditions. Completely unfair for both teams.”

A third chimed in, “This is a friggin joke. They moved yesterday’s game up 5 hours during a weekday when there was a 5% chance of showers. Now the day play ball in this slop?? Like wtf?! Someone needs to answer for this.”

Others suggested that MLB executives were scared to go up against the NFL's slate of games on Sunday, hence why they were insistent on playing Game 4 of the ALCS on Friday.

“MLB is trying [to] avoid going up against nfl Sunday. That’s all this is,” one person said.

Someone else argued, “They are so scared of week 6 of the NFL that they are willing to risk putting out a lesser version of their product. Embarrassing.”