Guardians vs. Rays ALCS Game 5: Updated Time, TBS and Tickets

Schedule checked Saturday, October 17, 2026. The Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays are scheduled to meet in American League Championship Series Game 5 on Sunday, October 18, at Progressive Field. MLB’s current postseason schedule lists first pitch for 5:08 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time in Cleveland (UTC−04:00), or 21:08 UTC on October 18, with TBS carrying the game. This is a revised listing: the previously scheduled Saturday Game 5 has moved to Sunday after Game 4 was postponed because of rain.

When and where is Game 5?

October 18 falls before the United States ends daylight saving time in 2026. NIST lists the changeover as November 1, so Cleveland is on EDT, four hours behind UTC, for this game. Adding four hours to 5:08 p.m. produces 21:08 UTC on the same calendar date; there is no date change for international readers using the UTC reference.

Why did the date change?

Major League Baseball postponed the originally scheduled Game 4 in Cleveland because of rain. The league’s updated schedule moves that game to Saturday, October 17, at 8:08 p.m. ET, then places Game 5 on Sunday, October 18, at 5:08 p.m. ET. Sunday had originally been an off day. The current MLB postseason schedule identifies the Sunday matchup as Game 5 and lists TBS as the broadcast network.

That change means an older search result, calendar entry, or ticket page may still show Saturday, October 17, at 8 p.m. for what was originally called Game 5. That time now belongs to the rescheduled Game 4. For the current Game 5 listing, look for Sunday, October 18, Tampa Bay at Cleveland, 5:08 p.m. ET. The official postseason schedule is the best reference for the exact scheduled first-pitch time because ticketing listings may display a rounded event time.

How can fans watch the Guardians and Rays?

MLB lists TBS for Game 5. Viewers should confirm the channel and any streaming access with their television provider or local listing before game time. The schedule confirms the broadcaster assigned to the matchup; it does not establish that the same channel or streaming package is available in every country. Readers watching outside the United States should check the MLB broadcast information available in their market rather than assuming that a U.S. network listing applies worldwide.

For live status, the official MLB postseason page carries the current series schedule and results. Recheck it close to first pitch if you need the latest start time, especially after a weather-related schedule change. A scheduled time can still move; this guide reports the latest published listing and is not a guarantee that the game will begin exactly on time.

What should ticket holders know?

MLB’s postponement notice explains how tickets from the original schedule map to the revised games. Fans holding tickets for the original Friday Game 4 may use them for Game 5 on Sunday. Fans whose tickets were for the original Saturday Game 5 do not need to take action; those tickets stand for the rescheduled Game 4 on Saturday. Check the ticket attached to your account and the official team or ticketing notice before traveling, so you go to the correct game on the correct day.

Progressive Field is at 2401 Ontario Street in Cleveland. Ticketmaster’s venue page identifies the ballpark and shows the two weekend events, but its Sunday event card displays 5:00 p.m.; MLB’s postseason schedule gives the more precise scheduled first pitch, 5:08 p.m. ET. The ticket page does not confirm when gates open, so consult the Guardians’ current ballpark information for entry procedures and game-day guidance. Do not use a gate-opening time or the event-card time as a substitute for the official first-pitch listing.

What context matters for this matchup?

MLB’s schedule currently shows Cleveland ahead 2–1 in the ALCS. That is the series standing displayed alongside the upcoming Game 5 listing; this preview does not assume or report a result for Game 4. The change compresses the series calendar by placing games on consecutive days in Cleveland. Potential later games remain contingent on the series and are not part of the confirmed Game 5 appointment.

For a quick check, the most useful signs that you have the right event are the Game 5 label, Sunday, October 18, Tampa Bay at Cleveland, Progressive Field, and TBS. The first-pitch time should read 5:08 p.m. ET on MLB’s schedule. If a listing still says Saturday at 8 p.m., compare it with the current postseason page before making travel plans or setting a reminder. If a newer official notice changes the time again, follow that notice and confirm ticket instructions with the ticket issuer.

Sources and updates

• MLB 2026 postseason schedule, series standing and broadcast listing
• MLB notice on the Game 4 postponement, revised schedule and ticket handling
• Progressive Field venue and event listings on Ticketmaster
• Cleveland Guardians’ Progressive Field information
• NIST 2026 daylight-saving dates