Rays one win from World Series; Guardians face Game 6

The Tampa Bay Rays are one win from the World Series, leading the Cleveland Guardians 3-2 in the American League Championship Series heading into Game 6 on Monday night at Tampa Bay, according to the MLB postseason schedule.

Updated Oct. 19, 2026, 7:30 p.m. MT. Game 6 had not finished at the time of publication.

First pitch is set for 8 p.m. ET (6 p.m. MT) on TBS, truTV and HBO Max. A Rays win would send them to the World Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. A Cleveland win would force a Game 7 on Tuesday, Oct. 20, also at 8 p.m. ET in Tampa Bay.

The Rays took a stranglehold on the series with a 3-1 win in Game 5 on Sunday, Oct. 18. They scored one run in each of the first three innings against Guardians starter Parker Messick. The win came a day after they beat Cleveland 7-3 in Game 4 to even the series at 2-2, which followed Cleveland’s 3-2 win in Game 3 on Oct. 15.

Cleveland is expected to use a bullpen game in Game 6, starting right-hander Shawn Armstrong, who also opened Game 4. The Rays are expected to turn to Freddy Peralta, who threw six shutout innings in Game 2, Yahoo Sports reported.

Neither team had an off day after the rainout on Oct. 16, Yahoo Sports reported, so both clubs travelled straight to Tampa Bay.

The winner will face a Milwaukee team that has been waiting since Thursday, Oct. 15. The Brewers swept the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 in the National League Championship Series, clinching with a 6-4 win in Game 4 after trailing 4-0 in the second inning. It is Milwaukee’s first National League pennant and first World Series trip since 1982, when the franchise was still in the American League and lost to St. Louis in seven games.

The World Series opens on Friday, Oct. 23, at American Family Field in Milwaukee, with first pitch at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.

Game 2 follows on Saturday, Oct. 24, in Milwaukee. The series then moves to the American League champion’s ballpark for Game 3 on Monday, Oct. 26, and Game 4 on Tuesday, Oct. 27, with Game 5 on Wednesday, Oct. 28, if needed. Games 6 and 7, if necessary, return to Milwaukee on Friday, Oct. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 31, each at 8 p.m. ET.

For earlier coverage of the series, see how the Rays beat the Guardians 7-3 to even the ALCS at 2-2, how the Guardians edged the Rays 3-2 for a 2-1 lead, and how the Brewers swept the Dodgers to reach their first World Series since 1982.

The Game 6 result and the World Series matchup will be confirmed once the game ends.

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Via CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports and MLB.com.