Rays, Guardians to play ALCS Game 3 in afternoon with rain forecast Thursday, NLCS also switched

CLEVELAND (AP) — Thursday’s Game 3 of the AL Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians has been moved up to a 1 p.m. start because of the threat of rain in Cleveland on Thursday night.

Major League Baseball moved the start time up five hours in order for the series to remain on schedule. The game will still be broadcast on TBS and other TNT Sports platforms.

After that switch, MLB also moved up the start of Game 4 of the NL Championship Series between the Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday. That game in Los Angeles will now start an hour earlier, at 5 p.m. local time (8 p.m. ET). The Brewers lead that series 2-0.

The best-of-seven ALCS is even at 1-1 after the Rays’ 3-1 victory Tuesday night. Cleveland took the series opener 7-3 on Monday.

Tampa Bay will send right-hander Griffin Jax to the mound. Jax (8-10, 3.52 ERA) struck out four and gave up one run in two innings of relief against the New York Yankees in the Division Series.

Cleveland is expected to go with Gavin Williams (14-8, 3.76 ERA), who led the American League in strikeouts. The right-hander started Games 2 and 5 against the White Sox and tossed an inning in relief in Game 4. He had 24 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and six hits.

Friday’s game still has a start time of 6 p.m. and Saturday’s first pitch is slated for 8 p.m.