The Cleveland Guardians know they are in for a battle in the American League Championship Series, and Jo Adell is not underestimating their opponent. The Tampa Bay Rays enter the series fresh off a three-game sweep of the Yankees in the division series, while Cleveland had to fight off elimination three straight times just to get here. Las Vegas oddsmakers have installed the Rays as favorites, and Tampa Bay will host the first two games at Tropicana Field starting Monday night. Ahead of Game 1, Adell met with reporters and was asked what jumps out to him about the team standing between Cleveland and the World Series. Adell gave the Rays plenty of respect.
“They’re a team that is a real gritty team,” Adell said.
"They're a team that is a real gritty team"
(Via MLB Video) #Guardians Jo Adell on what stands out to him about the Rays#GuardsBall @WEWS pic.twitter.com/XBknAR4zzj
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) October 12, 2026
That description fits what the Rays showed against New York. Tampa Bay ranked just 22nd in the majors in home runs during the regular season, while the Yankees finished second, yet the Rays still outhomered New York in the series. They also put pressure on the Yankees by running the bases aggressively and forcing their defense to make plays.
The sweep was a big moment for the franchise. It was the first time the Rays had ever swept a best of five postseason series, and it was their first series win of any kind since 2020. Tampa Bay also won the American League East this year, finishing 4 1/2 games ahead of the Yankees and taking seven of the thirteen regular season meetings between the two teams.
Gritty is also a word that could describe the Guardians. Cleveland dropped the first two games of its division series at home before winning three straight elimination games against the White Sox, becoming the first team in franchise history to rally from a 2-0 deficit. Both teams have built winning rosters without a huge payroll, and both rely on pitching, defense and timely hitting rather than overpowering opponents. In many ways, Adell might as well have been describing his own clubhouse.
He has played a big part in Cleveland’s run. After going 0-4 with four strikeouts in Game 1 against Chicago, Adell bounced back in a big way over the rest of the series. He finished the ALDS 5-19 with two triples, six RBIs and three walks, including a bases clearing triple in Game 3 that gave the Guardians a lead they never gave back. He also joined Kenny Lofton as the only players in franchise history with multiple triples in a single postseason series.
Adell will need to keep that momentum going against a Tampa Bay pitching staff that held the Yankees in check. The Guardians will need his power, too, since the lineup still has to prove it can produce consistently after scoring just three runs in the first two games against Chicago before breaking out with eighteen runs over the next two.
NEXT: Foster Griffin Reacts To Learning His Big ALCS Assignment
