When is Yankees vs. Guardians ALCS Game 5? Date, time and statements

CLEVELAND – Finishing the job hasn’t always been easy for the Yankees in this ALCS.

They missed Game 3 when they were just one lead away from victory. They also almost coughed up Game 4. But all that matters now is that on Saturday night, in Game 5 at Progressive Field, they have a chance to accomplish the task they had to accomplish in this best-of-seven series against the Guardians.

Just one win away from their first AL pennant in 15 years, the Yankees exude confidence even despite the self-inflicted trouble and late-inning drama that characterized the Cleveland segment of this ALCS.

And they know that the only thing that matters is the end result.

“It feels like nothing until we get it done,” said slugger Giancarlo Stanton, whose three-run home run in the sixth inning helped the Yanks to an 8-6 win in Game 4 on Friday night. “In my opinion, we didn’t do anything.”

Well, we won’t go that far. The Yankees certainly had some outstanding performances in this series, and one of the biggest was Carlos Rodón’s terrific performance in Game 1, when he showed he had learned from his previous playoff weakness against the Royals and expressed his feelings in a six-inning stretch game, allowing just one run on three hits and nine strikeouts.

“I stayed inside,” Rodón said, “and just controlled what was in front of me.”

If Rodón can do this again, he can show the Americans the way to the Fall Classic. But as we’ve seen over the last two nights, the Guardians won’t let them waltz there. With a pesky, contact-oriented offense, the Guards pitched the ninth and 10th innings of Game 3 for the ages, then erased a 6-2 deficit and later scored the winning run in the ninth inning of Game 4.

“We will be ready to win,” said manager Stephen Vogt. “It’s these guys. Our backs are against the wall, we’re playing our best baseball. We don’t give up. This team has no end. That’s not the case all year round.”

Vogt raised eyebrows when he gave his No. 1 starter, Tanner Bibee, four outs in Game 2. The advantage of this quick hook is that Bibee was able to come back for Game 5 with a short rest.

“Just pretty much one less bright day,” Bibee said of his revised schedule. “It’s not like I went out there and threw 100 pitches and am about to go out there and do it again. I threw 39 throws. I feel good. I’m ready to go.”

Still, Vogt is bound to be aggressive in an elimination game, despite Bibee getting the start and the Guards’ best bullpen in baseball showing serious vulnerabilities of late.

Can the Guards fight back or is it time for another round of champagne for the Bronx Bombers? If games 3 and 4 are any indication, the answer will come in a fun way.

When does the game take place and how can I watch it?

Game 5 of the American League Championship Series is now live and can be seen on TBS, truTV and Max.

All games are available in the US on MLB.TV (requires authentication with a participating pay-TV provider). Live games are also available in select countries outside the US. Detailed information can be found here.

Who are the starting pitchers?

Yankees: Rodón will look to send the Yankees to the World Series as he faces Cleveland for the second time in the series. It will be the left-hander’s third start of the postseason, as he also suffered the loss to Kansas City in Game 2 of the ALDS.

Guardian: Bibee has another short break and it’s clear he’s still holding onto the frustrations from his 1 1/3-inning start in Game 2 on Tuesday. Bibee gave up three runs (two earned) with a walk and two strikeouts in the limited time he had on the mound. The righty is ready to use those lingering feelings as fuel for what could be his final start of the 2024 season.

What are the starting lineups?

Yankees: Red-hot Giancarlo Stanton, who is slashing .300/.400/.767 in eight postseason games, moves to the clean sheet spot.

Guardian: The Yankees are going back to a lefty, so the Guardians are relying on some of their righties in the starting lineup.

Yankees: After handling Game 4 creatively, the Yanks will still have a loaded bullpen heading into Game 5. Clay Holmes will almost certainly be unavailable after working four of the last five days, as will Tim Hill. The same probably goes for Tommy Kahnle, who has made three of four appearances, including his second postseason save on Friday. The Yanks kept Luke Weaver out in the ninth inning, but at some point he started to warm up. Their freshest arm is Marcus Stroman, who has yet to pitch this postseason.

Guardian: In an ideal world, Cleveland could turn to its trusty Big Four: Cade Smith, Tim Herrin, Hunter Gaddis and Emmanuel Clase to avoid elimination. But now there may be some question marks. Smith showed signs of fatigue in Game 4. Clase failed to make his second save in as many days. The Guardians know they have maxed out their bullpen this season and may now be running out of gas. But to keep this season alive, the big four will need to find second gear to get to the finish line.

Yankees: Ian Hamilton suffered a left calf strain during Game 3 and will be unavailable for the remainder of the postseason. Left-hander Nestor Cortes (left elbow flexor strain) is on track to be available for a possible World Series run. Infielder DJ LeMahieu (right hip impingement) is being considered as a replacement.

Guardian: Game 1 starter Alex Cobb was diagnosed with a lower back strain that led to him being left off the ALCS roster on Tuesday. He was replaced by Ben Lively. Infielder/outfielder Tyler Freeman strained his oblique muscle during a practice last week.

Who’s hot and who’s not?

Yankees: Stanton is enjoying a Reggie Jackson-like postseason. In fact, he and Mr. October are the only Yankees players to hit four or more home runs in multiple postseasons. Torres scored two more times in Game 4 and is hitting .281 with an OPS of .838 this postseason. Rizzo was 2-for-4 in Game 4 and is batting .455 during the ALCS. One of the coldest Bombers hitters belongs to Chisholm, who went hitless in Game 4 and lowered his playoff average to .129.

Guardian: The most optimistic takeaway from Game 4 for the Guardians was that Ramírez and Naylor — the team’s most threatening bats — finally came to life. The duo combined for five RBIs in the loss and each played a big role in the Guardians’ work to overcome a four-run deficit late in the game. If Cleveland wants to force a Game 6, these two will need to carry that momentum into Saturday night’s matchup.

Is there anything else fans would like to know?