Guardians Announce Starting Lineup For Game 6 Of ALCS

The Cleveland Guardians are not making any changes with their season on the line. Facing elimination in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night, Stephen Vogt will send out the same lineup he used in Games 4 and 5. Cleveland trails the best of seven series three games to two and needs a win at Tropicana Field to force a decisive Game 7 on Tuesday. The Guardians will once again turn to Shawn Armstrong to open the game on the mound, while the Rays counter with right hander Freddy Peralta.

All on the table.#GuardsBall | #StandGuard pic.twitter.com/l5CdO7Ez2R

— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) October 19, 2026

Steven Kwan will lead off and play left field, followed by José Ramírez at third base and Chase DeLauter in right field. Jo Adell will serve as the designated hitter and bat cleanup, with Nathaniel Lowe at first base hitting fifth. Travis Bazzana will play second base and bat sixth, Patrick Bailey will catch and hit seventh, Petey Halpin will start in center field out of the eighth spot, and Brayan Rocchio will play shortstop and bat ninth.

Ramírez has been Cleveland’s most consistent hitter in the series. He has collected seven hits through five games and continues to climb the franchise’s all time postseason hits list, where he now sits just five hits behind Omar Vizquel for the top spot. DeLauter has been right behind him, recording six hits in the ALCS, and his eleven hits this postseason are tied for the most ever by a Cleveland rookie in a single postseason. One more hit would give him the record outright.

Kwan reached base twice and scored Cleveland’s only run in Game 5, while also throwing out a runner at the plate from left field. Halpin has made two highlight reel catches against the center field wall in the last two games, along with his go ahead homer in Game 3. Bailey and Bazzana have each homered in the series as well.

The Guardians will need more from the middle of the order. Adell has collected just two hits in the series, and Lowe and Rocchio have also struggled to find consistent production. Cleveland managed only one run on Sunday, and it will likely take a bigger effort to keep the season alive.

That will not be easy against Peralta. The right hander shut out the Guardians over six innings in Game 2, allowing four hits while striking out six. Cleveland put runners on base in five of his six innings that night but could not bring any of them home. Kwan said afterward that Peralta’s fastball was elite, especially at the top of the strike zone. Peralta also made a brief relief appearance in Game 4.

Armstrong has not allowed a run in 7 2/3 innings this postseason, and he will be pitching for the third straight day after appearing in Games 4 and 5. Tanner Bibee, Joey Cantillo, Slade Cecconi and Daniel Espino are among the options behind him, with Gavin Williams lined up for a potential Game 7.

The Guardians are 3-0 in elimination games this postseason and already won once at Tropicana Field in this series. First pitch for Game 6 is set for 8 p.m. on Monday, and everything is on the table.