Small ball vs. Guards Ball when the Rays and Guardians meet in the ALCS

A pair of low-payroll teams with similar styles will face off in the AL Championship Series.

It’s small ball vs. “Guards Ball” when the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians open their best-of-seven series Monday night at Tropicana Field.

Two-time All-Star right-hander Drew Rasmussen takes the mound for Tampa Bay after dominating the New York Yankees in the opener of the AL Division Series.

Lefty Foster Griffin will start for Cleveland, which worked out late Sunday after beating the Chicago White Sox in Game 5 of its ALDS.

The Rays won an AL-best 98 games in the regular season, swept New York in the ALDS and seek the third pennant in the franchise’s 29-season history.

Cleveland won 85 games, fell behind Chicago in the ALDS and became only the 11th team to overcome an 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five playoff series.

“I don’t think it’s really set in yet,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “But we’re here. The guys are excited. We’re prepared. We’re ready to go. We’re playing some really good baseball right now."

The Rays-Yankees matchup was David vs. Goliath in terms of payroll because New York opened the season with MLB’s third highest at $302.8 million and Tampa Bay ranked 26th at $90.5 million.

But the Rays are facing a team now that spent even less. The Guardians were last in the majors at $75.5 million.

Both teams emphasize contact at the plate, speed on the bases, strong fundamentals, solid pitching and doing whatever it takes to win.

Tampa Bay led the AL with a .258 batting average and had the fewest strikeouts in the majors. The Guardians only hit .239, didn’t have a hitter with more than 18 homers and had the fifth-fewest strikeouts in the league.

The two clubs bolstered their rosters at the trade deadline. Tampa Bay got starter Freddy Peralta, catcher Liam Hicks and reliever Tyler Wells.

Cleveland acquired Griffin, outfielder Jo Adell, and first baseman Nathaniel Lowe.

“I do think there’s more similarities than not,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said Sunday. “I feel Cleveland does mirror us or we mirror them. And I say that with the utmost respect to them, the way they develop pitching, the way they think about the game."

Rasmussen took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning of the ALDS opener, finishing with 10 strikeouts in a 1-0 victory. He was 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA and led the AL with a 0.91 WHIP. Rasmussen has been one of baseball’s best pitchers since an internal brace procedure in July 2023 that forced him to miss more than a year.

“I could really care less where people would rank me,” Rasmussen said. “I’m going to come in every single day, be as prepared as possible and I’m going to go out there and compete to the best of my abilities and do my best to execute and give our team the best chance to win.

Griffin was 3-3 with a 5.19 ERA in nine starts for Cleveland after the trade. The 31-year-old lefty was 12-3 went a 3.06 ERA with the Nationals after spending the previous three seasons with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's Central League.

Griffin had seven strikeouts and gave up one run in 2 2/3 innings of relief in Game 3 against the White Sox.

“They got some slug for sure, and also just have some really good just baseball knowledge-type players: get a guy over less than two outs, knowing when to hit the sac fly, put the ball on the ground in certain situations," Griffin said. "Have some speed, as well. More of a complete team instead of just a 1-through-9, trying to hit you for a home run or slug."

Junior Caminero batted .276 with 42 homers and 101 RBIs and was 3 for 10 with one double and walked twice vs. the Yankees. Jonathan Aranda hit a career-best 22 homers in the regular season and was 4 for 12 in the ALDS with a homer in the opener.

Yandy Diaz (.293, 22, 85) and Chandler Simpson (.306, 48 steals) are integral parts of the lineup.

Chase DeLauter led the Guardians with a .287 average to go with 16 homers. Steven Kwan hit .282 and Angel Martinez led the team with 18 homers. Martinez wasn’t in the starting lineup in Game 5 vs. Chicago after going 0 for 15 and striking out eight times in the first four games. Jose Ramírez batted .235 in the regular season but homered twice against the White Sox, including a two-run drive in the 2-0 win in Game 5.

The Rays won their previous appearances in seven games, against Boston in 2008 and the Houston in 2020. They lost the World Series both times, to Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Cleveland is 3-3, including a five-game series loss to the Yankees in 2024, and have not won the World Series since in 1948 — the longest drought in the major leagues.

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Cleveland Guardians pitcher Gavin Williams speaks during a news conference after Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez (11) speaks during a news conference after Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero walks to the batting cage during practice in a baseball American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen speaks to the media before practice in a baseball American League Championship against the Cleveland Guardians Series Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Jayden Daniels' return to the lineup, for just under 70 minutes of game time, looked to be exactly what the Commanders were hoping for.

He completed 68% of his passes, combined for 302 yards passing and rushing, and showcased his speed with two long touchdown runs. Most important, he stayed healthy.

But a gaffe in overtime, when Daniels took off on an ill-advised scramble in the closing seconds, cost Washington a chance at victory, ending Sunday's game against the New York Giants in a 27-27 tie. With 12 seconds left and the ball at the Giants 24, Washington called a pass play, but Daniels held onto the ball and went down for no gain.

Washington had no timeouts left and couldn't spike the ball before the clock hit zero, ending a mistake-filled final period with zero points by either team.

“The sequencing of that does not fall on (Daniels),” Commanders coach Dan Quinn said. “It's an outside throw or a clock — an out of bounds throw, or a clock. That has to come from me. I have to put him in that spot. I can do that earlier and we can finish the kick earlier. We don't need to gain more yards.”

The final play overshadowed Daniels' return from a dislocated left elbow. Daniels suffered the ugly-looking injury in a Week 2 loss to the Cowboys, the second time he has dislocated his non-throwing arm.

Wearing a brace on the arm, Daniels showed the playmaking ability he brought to the Commanders during his standout rookie season in 2024. He was 17 of 25 passing for 199 yards, and he rushed for 103 yards and two TDs on nine carries.

He wasn't the only player to make a critical mistake in overtime.

Washington (1-3-1) got the ball with 2 minutes left in OT when Daron Payne stripped the ball from Cam Skattebo with New York in range for a game-ending field goal.

“I’ve got to hold onto the ball, and make sure that these guys know that when my name is called, that we’re going to be OK,” Skattebo said.

Coach John Harbaugh said the Giants' goal on their final drive was to run the ball twice, get as close as they could to the end zone and then kick a field goal.

“It’s a heck of a lot better than a loss, but it’s not as good as a win,” Harbaugh said. “I know that just sounds so obvious, but that’s kind of how you feel. We’ll take it, we’ll take it right now.”

A kick by the Giants wouldn't have been a sure thing, given the struggles of Dominic Zvada, who missed his third field goal of the game on New York's first possession of OT.

“He'll learn from that,” Harbaugh said. “He was going to miss at some point, now he's got his first miss — he's got his first three misses.”

The Commanders had a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter before Jameis Winston led a furious comeback for the NFC East-leading Giants (3-1-1). He connected with Isaiah Likely for a 17-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter — Likely's second TD catch of the game — and then found Malik Nabers for the tying score, also from 17 yards out, with 1:43 left.

Winston finished with 326 yards passing and three touchdowns.

“I thought he was amazing in the fourth quarter, I thought he was amazing in the second half,” Harbaugh said. “I thought his ability to come out and change like that, we changed our offense up and tried some different things, he really settled into the things we did offensively. He was amazing. First half, he wasn’t, and he’ll be the first to tell you that.”

Daniels had rushing TDs of 38 and 26 yards in the second half, the latter of which gave the Commanders a seemingly comfortable 27-13 lead.

But the Giants rallied behind Winston and his two top targets, Nabers (11 catches for 121 yards and a TD) and Likely (11 receptions for 94 yards and the two scores). On his second TD, Likely had the ball punched out just after he crossed the goal line, and the score was awarded after a replay review.

After Nabers' touchdown, the Commanders had one last chance to win in regulation, but their drive stalled at midfield.

The Commanders opened the game with a four-play drive that included two passes by Daniels that covered 34 yards, a scramble by the elusive QB and a 33-yard touchdown run by Jacory Croskey-Merritt.

Washington's Drew Stevens missed the extra point. He kicked two first-half field goals, while the Giants missed two field goals of their own to trail 12-3 at halftime.

Giants: RT Jermaine Eluemunor had to be carried off the field with a left calf injury. CB Colton Hood was injured on a kickoff late in the third quarter and was helped off the field. He was evaluated for a concussion. S Tyler Nubin was helped off the field in the fourth with a neck injury.

Washington WR Terry McLaurin returned after missing last week's game with a hamstring injury, finishing with four catches for 62 yards.

Giants: Host New Orleans next Sunday.

Commanders: Visit San Francisco on Monday, Oct. 19.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) runs away from New York Giants cornerback Dru Phillips (22) for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game in Landover, Md., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19) celebrates with Malik Nabers (1) after they connected for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders in Landover, Md., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) celebrates with Malachi Fields (88) after catching a pass for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders in Landover, Md., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

New York Giants' Dru Phillips (22) tackles Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) as he runs past Darius Alexander (91) and Arvell Reese (52) during the second half of an NFL football game in Landover, Md., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19) celebrates with Isaiah Likely (9) after they connect for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders in Landover, Md., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) celebrates with teammates Terry McLaurin (17) and Dyami Brown (6) after scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants in Landover, Md., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)