The Cleveland Guardians let a golden opportunity slip away on Saturday night, but Foster Griffin is not worried about his team’s ability to respond. Cleveland fell to the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field, allowing the Rays to even the best of seven series at two games apiece. The Guardians had a chance to move within one win of the World Series, but the heart of Tampa Bay’s lineup came alive and a costly error in the seventh inning helped the Rays pull away. Griffin did his part on the mound, giving Cleveland 3 2/3 strong innings out of the bullpen.
Speaking in the clubhouse after the game, Griffin reminded everyone that this team has been through tougher spots.
“Our backs have been against the wall before. They’re not necessarily right now, but we feel good with where we’re at moving into tomorrow,” Griffin said.
"Our backs have been against the wall before. They're not necessarily right now, but we feel good with where we're at moving into tomorrow."
Inside the #Guardians Clubhouse with Foster Griffin after Game 4 of the ALCS#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/P964cgheeI
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) October 18, 2026
He has good reason to feel that way. This Cleveland team has made a habit of answering challenges all season. The Guardians sat at 70-70 and three games behind the White Sox in early September, then went 15-6 to win the division. In the division series, they lost the first two games at home before winning three straight elimination games to stun Chicago. Compared to those situations, a 2-2 series with Game 5 at home is a far more comfortable place to be.
Griffin was one of the bright spots on Saturday. After Shawn Armstrong opened the game with a scoreless first inning, Griffin took over and retired five straight hitters, four of them by strikeout. The Rays tied the game in the third on a two out double by Yandy Díaz and an RBI single by Jonathan Aranda, but Griffin settled right back in. Petey Halpin helped him out in the fourth with a lunging catch at the center field wall to rob Junior Caminero, and Griffin got Taylor Walls to ground into a double play in the fifth before handing the ball to Daniel Espino. He finished with one run allowed and five strikeouts.
It was another strong performance in what has been a breakout October for the veteran.
The Rays took control after Griffin left. Caminero gave Tampa Bay the lead with a double in the sixth, and a three run seventh inning, aided by an error in right field, broke the game open.
Now the series comes down to a best of three. Parker Messick will start Game 5 on Sunday, with Cleveland’s top relievers fully rested. After that, the series heads back to Tropicana Field for Game 6 on Monday and, if necessary, Game 7 on Tuesday. Griffin believes his team is in a good place, and the Guardians will have a chance to prove it on Sunday.
NEXT: Guardians Announce Starting Pitcher For Game 5
