Foster Griffin did not have much time to process the biggest assignment of his career. The Cleveland Guardians announced on Sunday that the left hander will start Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, and Griffin found out right before he stepped to the podium to meet with reporters. A few months ago, he was pitching for Washington. A few years ago, he was pitching in Japan. Now he will be the first Cleveland pitcher to take the mound in a series with a trip to the World Series on the line. Speaking with reporters, Griffin admitted the news was still fresh when he sat down at the podium.
“Got the news about 10 minutes ago. Yeah, I mean it’s a huge honor,” Griffin said.
"Got the news about 10 minutes ago. Yeah, I mean it's a huge honor."
(Via MLB Video) #Guardians Foster Griffin on finding out he'd be Cleveland's starter for Game 1 of the ALCS#GuardsBall @WEWS https://t.co/mAqeYpyZIT pic.twitter.com/nfPgv2PENY
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) October 12, 2026
That short window says a lot about how Stephen Vogt and the Guardians have had to manage this staff. Cleveland used nearly every arm it had to come back from a two game deficit against the White Sox, and the club needed to see how everyone bounced back before setting the rotation for the ALCS. Gavin Williams carried the load in Saturday’s Game 5 clincher, while Parker Messick started Game 4 on Thursday. Griffin last pitched on Wednesday, which makes him one of the freshest arms the Guardians have heading into Monday night.
He also earned this chance with one of the best performances of the postseason. In Game 3 against Chicago, with Cleveland one loss away from elimination, Griffin came out of the bullpen in the first inning and struck out seven batters over 2 2/3 innings. That set a franchise postseason record for a reliever, and his ability to settle the game down early was a major reason the Guardians stayed alive. Steven Kwan praised the way Griffin kept hitters off balance by changing his arm angles and timing, while Vogt said he recorded nine very big outs.
It has been quite a ride for the left hander. Kansas City selected Griffin in the first round of the 2014 draft, but his career never took off the way he hoped, and he eventually took his talents to Japan. He worked his way back to the majors with Washington this season before Cleveland acquired him at the trade deadline. After Game 3, Griffin said all of those ups and downs prepared him for the pressure of October. Starting the opener of the ALCS will test that preparation like never before.
The numbers from his regular season stint in Cleveland were not especially pretty. Griffin posted a 5.19 ERA over nine starts after the trade, and at one point he was considered more of a depth option than a key piece of the playoff rotation. That makes his rise over the last week even more remarkable. Vogt will likely keep a close eye on him and lean on the bullpen behind him, but the Guardians are trusting Griffin to set the tone.
He will face a Rays team that swept the Yankees in the division series and won the American League East. Tampa Bay does not rely heavily on the home run, but it pressures opponents with aggressive baserunning and timely hitting. The Rays also own home field advantage in the best of seven series, and Las Vegas oddsmakers opened them as favorites.
NEXT: Guardians Announce Starter For Game 1 Of ALCS
