ALCS Game 4 postponed by rain; Rays and Guardians to resume series Saturday

CLEVELAND (AP) — Game 4 of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians was postponed because of rain Friday night.

Major League Baseball was hoping there would be a three-hour window of dry weather to get the game in, but the showers never let up.

“It never cleared out the way they were hoping. It started to get later in the hour, and MLB and I think both clubs did everything they could to try to get it in,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “Made the most sense, like, at this point and this hour, with no guarantee that there wasn’t another band coming.”

The teams will resume their playoff series Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, with Game 5 also at Progressive Field on Sunday at 5 p.m., and Game 6, if necessary, on Monday at 8 p.m. in St. Petersburg, Florida.

“We knew how many days ago that today was going to be a challenge. Numerous weather calls, numerous back and forths, and ultimately MLB decided we needed to wait it out,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “Obviously it’s an important game, and we need to make sure we’re doing everything we can to play the games when they’re scheduled. But MLB ultimately decided to wait this one out.”

It is the first time an ALCS game has been postponed since 2019, when the New York Yankees were hosting the Houston Astros.

The Guardians have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series after Petey Halpin’s two-run homer propelled them to a 3-2 victory in Game 3 on Thursday afternoon.

Both teams will stick with their scheduled Game 4 starters from Friday. Cleveland will go with a bullpen game, with Shawn Armstrong being the opener. Nick Martinez will pitch for Tampa Bay.

It will be Armstrong’s fifth appearance this postseason. The right-hander has allowed only one hit in 5 1/3 innings with five strikeouts.

Armstrong thought his season was done in late July when he strained a calf muscle, but he returned during the final week of the regular season.

Armstrong was drafted by Cleveland in the 18th round in 2011 and made his big league debut four years later. He was traded to Seattle in 2017 and spent time with four other organizations, including Tampa Bay, before signing with the Guardians this season.

“I think I said it to (Erik) Sabrowski, whenever we were standing in the outfield in Game 2 in Tampa — obviously I played here, I got drafted here, coming back here and being able to be in this situation is — words can’t describe it,” Armstrong said before Game 3 on Thursday.

Martinez started Game 3 of the Division Series against the New York Yankees. He went 3 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts. The right-hander was 15-6 during the regular season and ranked sixth in the AL with a 3.10 ERA. He was third in the AL with 26 starts in which he allowed three runs or fewer.

“It’s just like my starts throughout the year; it’s going to be a dogfight going in, just to see how many outs I can get for this team. It’s important,” he said Thursday.

The teams might have to play the final four games of the series without a day off, culminating in a potential Game 7 on Tuesday. That could be welcome news for the Milwaukee Brewers, who have a week off before they open the World Series at home on Oct. 23 against the Cleveland-Tampa Bay winner.

Milwaukee is in the Fall Classic for the first time since 1982 after completing a four-game sweep of the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series on Thursday night.

“We’ve got four games in a row. We have an opportunity to win some games and move on. And that’s all we’re focused on,” Vogt said.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Chrissy Calabrese waits for the start of Game 4 of an American League Championship Series baseball game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays in Cleveland, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Slade Cecconi watches as Game 4 of an American League Championship Series baseball game postpone due to weather in Cleveland, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Cleveland Guardians is Chris Antonetti, walks on the field in the rain before Game 4 of an American League Championship Series baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays in Cleveland, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Bryan Baker warms up in the rain during batting practice before Game 4 of an American League Championship Series baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Rain drips from the field before Game 4 of an American League Championship Series baseball game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays in Cleveland, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026.(AP Photo/Phil Long)

Fans wait in the rain before Game 4 of an American League Championship Series baseball game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays in Cleveland, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

The field is covered before Game 4 of an American League Championship Series baseball game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays in Cleveland, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney made a final appeal to voters considering a path toward independence in his home province of Alberta on Friday, warning that a referendum is a dangerous gamble at a time of growing threats to Canada’s sovereignty.

With U.S. President Donald Trump waging a trade war and threatening to make Canada the 51st state, Carney warned that the referendum comes at the “worst possible time” and urged Albertans not to take the outcome for granted.

“Don’t let anyone tell you this is already decided. Turnout will determine the outcome,” Carney told a pro-Canada rally in Edmonton, where he grew up.

“This is not a game. This is not poker. A vote against Canada is a dangerous bluff that will lead to years of deep uncertainty and lost opportunities for Albertans and Canadians,” he said.

Monday’s vote is not a direct referendum on independence. Alberta, home to most of Canada’s proven oil reserves — the fourth largest in the world — will decide whether to remain a province or instruct the government to begin the legal process toward a future referendum on separation.

Carney’s closing appeal came after two days of campaigning against separation in the province. Earlier Friday, the Liberal prime minister joined Alberta’s conservative premier Danielle Smith in a show of unity against independence.

Smith praised Carney for improving relations with a province that frequently clashed with his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, over his carbon tax and other energy policies.

“I think what we can agree on is that we have had some real change in the last 18 months,” Smith said alongside Carney in Red Deer, Alberta.

Smith noted that Carney grew up in Alberta and remains an Edmonton Oilers fan.

“He can’t be all bad, right?” she joked.

“Some outside our borders are working to break us so they can own us. Never. Never,” Carney warned Friday in Edmonton, repeating a warning he made a day earlier in Calgary.

At Thursday’s Calgary rally, the crowd erupted in its loudest applause when Carney spoke about reducing Canada’s economic dependence on the United States.

Carney acknowledged Alberta’s longstanding resentment of federal energy policies.

“Growing up, I remember how Ottawa made Albertans feel like our resources weren’t our own,” he said.

But he also emphasized his deep ties to the province.

“Alberta is my home. I grew up here. This city, this province, this country have given me everything: my family, my education, my values,” he said.

Outside the Edmonton rally venue Friday, Alberta independence supporters waved flags and held a sign reading “Say no to Carney’s new world order.”

Smith called the referendum despite opposing independence herself. She recently cited a poll showing 22% of Albertans support separation, a figure she said was still too high.

Smith also faces pressure from separatists within her governing United Conservative Party. Former Premier Jason Kenney said the independence movement gained influence within the party as activists angry over COVID-19 restrictions, some influenced by conspiracy theories, embraced separatism.

But some Albertans who want to remain in Canada are angry with Smith for calling the vote.

“I think it’s a travesty really to be putting our province and our country through this when such a small portion of people are rabble rousing and saying they want to separate from Canada,” said Deb Lee, a retired Calgary resident who voted in advance to remain in Canada.

Smith said Carney had substantially addressed seven of nine federal laws Alberta opposed. She also cited cooperation on a proposed oil pipeline.

Independence advocate Tanya Clemens dismissed the agreements between Carney and Smith as “basically pinky promises” that came with too many conditions.

Carney’s chief political rival, federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, also urged Albertans Friday to remain in Canada.

“Don’t leave your fellow Canadians behind. Lock arms with them,” Poilievre said.

Despite their agreement on keeping Alberta in Canada, Carney and Smith remain divided over nine other questions on Monday’s ballot involving immigration and provincial powers. Smith wants voters to approve them, while Carney has urged their rejection.

“For the first time in a long time, Alberta and Canada are walking together,” Smith said.

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney signs an autograph as he attends a national unity rally in Red Deer, Alberta, Friday Oct. 16, 2026. (John Ulan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney attends a national unity rally in Red Deer, Alberta, alongside, from left, Monte Solberg, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, and former Premier Ed Stelmach, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. (John Ulan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Prime Minister Mark Carney attends a national unity rally in Red Deer, on Friday Oct. 16, 2026. (John Ulan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Prime Minister Mark Carney attends a national unity rally in Red Deer, on Friday Oct. 16, 2026. (John Ulan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Prime Minister Mark Carney attends a national unity rally in Red Deer alongside Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026.. (John Ulan/The Canadian Press via AP)