Members-Only Game Thread: ALCS – Oct 18, 2026
Welcome to our Open Game Thread for the ALCS game today. Only Members can participate, and unlike our usual staff Q&A chats, your messages will be posted immediately.
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Hey! Everyone, we got a dinner-time game today, so we won't be up late, but we do have NFL football to compete with. Though the Tampa Bay game just ended. And the Browns already won.
man, "And the Browns already won." feels like a sentence from an alternate timeline…
Tampa. Need them to win pennant to cash this ticket. They’ve done me well. Al east cashed. I need two more wins. I love fan graphs, love the site. I really appreciate the service.
Sigh…
Think the ball is carrying better today
for sure
o/u number of times Messick growing up a Rays fan is mentioned?
It's still weird to me that we're at the point where guys in the big leagues "grew up as" as a Rays fan. They're not that old and they didn't really have fans their first decade
Depends how long he lasts, not off to the greatest start here…
What are you guys talking about?
Baseballs?
He had to challenge that!
Terrible challenge
But not this one.
It’s still way too early for this.
According to last night its time to bring the infield in
The challenges have been just bizarre all postseason.
That bobble by Rocchio could turn out to be the play of the year.
Still a lot of baseball left here
Guards have not been playing clean D the last couple, and they really have to for Guardsball to work
I feel like in the regular season, you load the bases like that and 3 plus runs score. Postseason you get dinged one run, and no one scores again until the 7th inning.
This postseason in particular seems to be selecting for better pitchers moreso than better hitters
How much does this start lead to questioning starting Bailey over Hedges with Messick?
I am trying to understand why DeLuca didn't challenge the 2-0 pitch. The leverage index couldn't have been much higher and his body language said he knew it was a ball.
wanted more than one run!
Use challenges when the leverage calls for it. i
We also don’t get an outfielder running over the parabolic mic guy in the regular season either.
I know hitting is tough but a major leaguer should not swing through those two fastballs in the heart of the zone.
hate both of these teams
Upholding the Yankee fan stereo types… "if we cant win I hate everything and everyone" lol
I can't judge. I hate them back.
people have ask for a "Neither" option in the polls, but that was more for the Yankees games.
no like i particularly hate the guardians' fake offense for how much it gets praised as the only "real baseball" and the rays now adopting it over the past few seasons. swing for the fences like a real team or at least put up a Brewers-level team OBP
cry more… im thirsty
oh yeah? i will
The babip gods are making their presence felt here
How much longer can you ride Messick here?
mostly tough babip luck
The infield shifts have ummm not worked… those were both easy outs/potential double plays
check swings feel like the hardest thing for me to see in real time from CF cams. I’m wrong all the time.
Hi everyone!
What a gift for Messick.
no team deserves to have given up 2 runs on 5 hits in 2 innings of allowing a .188 xBA as much as cleveland
You watch a LOT of CLE games for a Yankee sellout shill.
you think i'm watching this
not sure you know where you are let alone what you are watching
I get it Sean… Ill back off. Just dont like the trolls and wanted to push back a bit. Most Yankee fans are not like this.
Pretty sure Junior would swing at a ball into the stands
Is that Ronald Acuña ad for Kalshi any less weird with the volume on?
I’d say it’s more weird
It's much weirder with the volume on
He lives in a tunnel under home plate, is that the premise??
Yes and you should bet on it or something?
I bet he actually lives in a house.
THAT should be a Kalshi bet
Keebler Elf tree.
Probably a large one.
Wow what a catch
A good poll would be which commercial do you hate the most?
Liberty Biberty is in the mix
There is an obvious answer to this question but it is not a fit topic for a baseball chat.
How will Cleveland cover 27 outs here?
Dunno but I'm excited to find out
Okay, this is random, but what about letting the winning team in the postseason pick a player from the opposite team for the rest of the post? I know, I’m crazy.
Wow, those 2014 Royals…
This would be a fantastic offseason/lockout article, actually. Say, postseason series of the 2020s where the victor takes a player from their opponent…perhaps Dan can ZiPS up the biggest additions
Simpson is in their heads
Broadcast booth has a collective Speed Boner.
they're just like me!
I mean yes, but can’t blame them
Is it a prerequisite for being a playoff broadcaster that you have to wish the game were still played like it was in the ‘80s?
That's how they train them in broadcasting school.
Rays are going to score 1 run every inning to win 9-0.
My hot take on bunting is that showing bunt should be treated as a swing and therefore often a strike
That has to be caught!!!
Rays relaxed on challenges
I think Simpson tried to high five the ump
The ump was holding the bat out but Simpson was too far away to grab it
RISP kings
With the lack of travel day after this it makes this feel more critical than the average 2-2 game 5. Loser is gonna have to really ride their A bullpen
Can we get a return interview with Jeff after the Rays win the WS to breakdown the minutia of the playoff decisions, positioning, pitching strategy… or is that too proprietary to ever become public?
Brew Crew might have something to say about that!
Brewers certainly look like the team to beat to my eyes
Who is the target audience for Limu Emu and Doug?
Stoners?
Haters of all that is good and right?
We should have Jeff and August face off against each in podcast before the WS starts.
* said with the caveat, I have no power to make this happen.
Are there Fangraphs alumni reunions at the Winter Meeting ever?
All the time, and Saberseminar. Though team employees have more restrictive schedules during Winter Meetings.
Wow
That was a fun bunt
This is a real fun team
Ill admit that was super smart and well executed.
Just a great opportunity to catch them off guard: relatively fast runner who can't really hit anyway, lefty reliever on the mound
If the WS is Milwaukee against Tampa, it should be a very entertaining defense and baserunning show. When was the last time there was more team speed than that in the World Series?
Probably one of those Royals teams with Dyson, Cain, Gore, etc
So quickly you forget Eckstein… FJM remembers…
But KC played the Giants, who I don't remember as overly fast.
I did not think Kwan had a chance in the world there
This inning has had some serious excitement
Kwan has the best weak arm in baseball
The one-run-per-inning thing looks to be in jeopardy.
oh well.
love me an exciting scoreless inning (when it's not my team failing)
The circumstances are setting up for Rasmussen to potentially go deep in this game
Cleveland really needs a baserunner. It's been a too long.
there ya go
the challenge furthered the stated goal.
I've been getting some other work done, and I swear every time I looked up the Rays were on base.
That's a good challenge.
What does it say about the state of these commercials all month that I'm grateful for a Wendy's ad?
it says you are sane
I like that they are bringing back the yellow packaging.
Now we need more solariums.
Magic 8 ball says Sabrowski
Holy cow
I mean, Walls certainly isn't in there for his bat
The margin feels much bigger than 3 runs
I've used the word feckless a lot in the last 30 minutes talking about Cleveland's offense.
Not one feck
In all seriousness the biggest difference in this game has been defensive positioning… Rays =Great, CLE=Bad
On the broadcast the other day, they compared Rasmussen to Doc Halladay… feels apt after this postseason
Is it just me or could Sabrowski be Messicks brother?
Another TB baserunner…I looked up at the TV.
Not for long!
That was the first time all series Bazzana did that right
Was he even running?
Do teams give players scouting reports for the likely defensive alignment they will face on a given night vs a given team vs a given pitcher… Do we know the level of detail in that sort of prep?
That was middle-middle to both Kwan and Ramirez
Alright Cleveland is awake
🥱
Here we go
now its up to everyones favorite former angels player
sike never mind
lol shortest half inning ever
I’ve been shouting at the team to take Rasmussen out but did he listen to me? Nooooo.
Welcome to my world with Vogt.
The reverse communication function on TVs never works as well as it should.
Stunning to see Cash, notorious for yanking pitchers, leave Rasmussen in.
Surprised Rasmussen doesn't use that changeup more
Brilliant to not challenge in order to forgo the strikeout in favor of the double play
That’s advanced fortune telling
ah, not challenging because you had the double-play pitch charged up, Rays are streets ahead
80-grade reference
Well of course you’re gonna lose weight if you have diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting
Ah man I was hoping all three would
Oh man I was hoping all three would hit each other
I don't love taking out your best hitter in the 8th
Has DeLuca hit a ball?
It's always an adventure with DeLauter
That is a very kind way of saying it
Not a huge fan of chasing this game with Cade Smith with no more off days.
Vogt strikes again!
Cleveland bullpen would look way deeper with Clase
Cade here is…questionable
two more ABs for cleveland though… Vogt betting on his bats
Is Stephen Vogt trying to mismanage the bullpen so badly that he gets fired and can take the open Seattle job so that his wife gets to be by her family again?
4D Chess
I think I want JoRam up to lead off the 9th if I'm Vogt
Unless I want the seattle job I guess
Kwan on fire today
Really bad swing decision, but it worked out for him.
nice wedge play there
The visiting bullpen labyrinth shot
Ahh man I like Booser
Feels like you have to go to Baker here, even if it burns him for the 9th
That was huge
If I’ve learned anything from these commercials it’s that Americans are very sick and very in need of insurance
Jake Bauers should get an insurance commercial gig
This is correct.
Yep
I take that back. We are in need of health care.
Oh wow was that pitch outside
There’s a lot of depressed vampires here tonight. I mean broken bats.
Yandy is…inevitable.
Wondering what happens if the Guards come back and we go to extras without Yandy and Junior.
Dogs and cats living together, it’ll be anarchy!
This is a lot of pitches for Smith given that he's basically guaranteed to pitch in every remaining game in this series
Martinez in there for defense?
Not the ball-catching kind. A different kind.
He is Vogt's talisman this year… Why there is one obviously terrible player who he decides to ride into defeat each year is another question all together.
White Flag warming up in the bullpen.
Poor guy.
Did you see the moon behind him?
Kwans game
That catch sounded weird, right? Like the double tap of a foul tip.
Ohhhh. It bounced off the wall — but THROUGH his glove.
Imagine if that matters… says the CLE fan hopefully.
Kwan trying to win this game himself
Kwan is the defensive replacement
Mesa (and Junior) need to stop being selfish
WOW
what a giant glove
Who is this guy in the AT&T commercials? His voice is odd.
He's the new Lily. Prepare to see him even more during the NCAA tournament.
He’s no Lily.
You people leave the sound on for commercials?
Yah…
I mean the remote is at least two feet away…
Given the nature of the adds in Ohio… off is the only option. Like leave the game muted to avoid the breaks only option.
Good AB dude
lol wth dude
oof
How many times do you practice that?
Knoblauch
i thought lowe tattooed that
in an elevator shaft
Adell … the first pitch and it was right in the heart again…
I mean I’m for the Rays but credit to the Guards, they never give up
may cost them tomorrow if the Rays get to Sabrowski, Gaddis or Cade…
But it may not!
Definitely one of those options
can't wait for the 6-5 game tomorrow
What am I going to do when the WS is over 😭😭😭
stare out the window and wait for spring… or read Fangraphs
Alright everyone. We got at least one more LCS game tomorrow. See you then!
I build things here.