The American League Division Series (ALDS) Game 5 between the Tigers and Guardians has been rescheduled to an earlier time due to predicted bad weather. Originally set for 8:08 p.m. ET, the game will now start at 1:08 p.m. ET on Saturday. This change comes after the Yankees eliminated the Royals on Thursday, shifting the game from its initial time of 4:38 p.m. ET. The Tigers are relying on their ace, Tarik Skubal, who is a favorite to win the AL Cy Young Award. The Guardians, on the other hand, have not yet announced their starter, but Game 2's Matthew Boyd could return on regular rest.
MLB is being proactive to avoid a repeat of the scheduling chaos caused by Hurricane Helene, which affected the Mets-Braves series. The weather forecast shows a 35% chance of rain at 8 p.m. ET, increasing to 67% by 10 p.m. However, the chance of rain at 1 p.m. ET is only 15%. The league wants to ensure both teams have ample rest before the American League Championship Series (ALCS) starts on Monday in The Bronx.
The Guardians forced this decisive Game 5 by winning Game 4, thanks to David Fry's clutch two-out, two-run homer in the seventh inning. The teams have split the previous two games, with the Guardians winning Game 1 and the Tigers taking Game 2 with a thrilling ninth-inning homer by Kerry Carpenter against Emmanuel Clase. Skubal's impressive performance in Game 2, with seven scoreless innings, gives the Tigers hope of returning to the ALCS for the first time in 11 years. Meanwhile, the Guardians aim to reach the final four for the first time since their 2016 World Series run.
