Biggest question facing Guardians, Rays heading into ALCS

The Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays took very different paths to get to the American League Championship Series. Now, with the ALCS opening up on Monday night at Tropicana Field, we will soon see which path to this round provides an advantage.

For Cleveland, it's been a fight all season, coming from behind in September to win the AL Central. It continued in the AL Division Series, when the Guardians had to claw out of an 2-0 hole and win three straight games to advance.

Meanwhile, the Rays have been in control of their situation for the majority of the season. Leading the AL East for 134 days and then sweeping the New York Yankees out of the ALDS, Tampa Bay has avoided a true pressure situation in 2026.

Now those varying paths collide in the ALCS, with each team facing a big question as they hope to advance to the World Series.

Biggest question facing Cleveland Guardians in ALCS

Can they score enough to win?

In Saturday's decisive Game 5 ALDS win over the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland mustered just two runs...and those came on one game-changing swing by Jose Ramirez. 

Cleveland's struggles to score all season have been well-documented, with the Guardians finishing 24th among MLB's 30 teams in runs scored, 26th in OPS and 27th in home runs. Those struggles were magnified when the Guardians and Rays played this season, with Tampa Bay taking five of six games and outscoring Cleveland 20-8 in the process. In Tampa, the deficit was even more striking, with the Rays posting two shutouts in three games and outscoring Cleveland 15-3.

Even if that home run was the swing that wakes up Ramirez from a season-long slumber, Cleveland will need more than him to overcome the Rays.

Biggest question facing Tampa Bay Rays in ALCS

Does the rest become rust in this series?

While the Rays have been dominant recently, it also means they have had plenty of time off the field. When the ALCS begins on Monday night, Tampa Bay will have played just three games in 15 days. 

The rest didn't bother the Rays in the ALDS sweep and Tampa Bay will have its rotation lined up just as it wants as the Guardians series starts, but will there be any issues getting back into high gear for Game 1?

Tampa Bay has answered all of the questions thrown at it so far this season and seems well prepared to defend its home-field advantage in the ALCS. However, the Rays hit just .208 and posted a .599 OPS in the ALDS.

Sure, the Rays were facing a tough Yankees pitching staff, but the Guardians showed against the White Sox their pitchers can be dominant as well, striking out 75 Chicago batters in five games, the fifth-most in an MLB postseason series.

Cleveland has proven all season that if it is given a chance, it will capitalize. A rusty Rays team could give the opportunistic Guardians an opening to grab momentum early.