AL DIVISION SERIES: WHITE SOX VS GUARDIANS

October 7, 2026

Foster Griffin

Rate Field

Cleveland Guardians

Postgame 3 Press Conference

Guardians 9, White Sox 3

Q. Foster, first time you've pitched in two weeks in a game, the first time out of the bullpen this season. How were you able to overcome those challenges?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: It's just trying to stay ready the best you can. In the practice games, we did a sim game, threw about two innings there, and then just touch the mound as much as you can, stay sharp. Being in the bullpen, you never know when your name's going to be called.

Q. Stephen Vogt talked pregame about the ability to shut down a crowd, especially in an environment like this. How big was it to get out of that first inning and then obviously seeing Joe's hit in the third inning to get you guys going?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: Huge, yeah. All I wanted to do in the first was get the boys back to the dugout, limit the damage there. Felt pretty good about the match-up. And then from there, keep going until Skipper takes the ball from me.

Get us back to the dugout, I think, kind of shut the momentum down from their side for a little bit. Once we got the momentum going on our side, it was tough to stop it.

Q. You continue to be successful against Murakami, including your time in Japan. How confident are you when you face him?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: Yeah, I mean, I've seen him a lot. He's seen me a lot. It's just how it's gone so far. I don't really have any specific answer for you. I know he's a great player, great hitter. But, yeah, just kind of been in my favor so far.

Q. Foster, at what point did you know that you're going to be in the bullpen this game?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: Say one more time?

Q. What time did you know that you were going to be -- be ready for relief this game, not start. When did you prepare to be the bullpen?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: I wasn't specifically ready for Murakami. It was just kind of the plan going into it, that Espino is going to start. And then from there, it's a win-or-go-home situation for us, so it's kind of all hands on deck. With all their lefties, including Murakami, they had several other lefties as well. So we felt the match-up through their lineup was pretty good for me.

Q. Foster, you've kind of pitched everywhere in your 12-year career. Japan, Major Leagues. What was it like stepping on the postseason mound for the first time in your career?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: It was great, especially on the road, right? They were all against us, but I just feel like to your point, the ups and downs, everywhere I've been in my career, Minor Leagues, Japan, Big Leagues, I feel like kind of prepared me for that moment to not let the game speed up on me.

Q. You've relied on your pitching staff throughout the year, but it hasn't always been by getting this many strikeouts. What do you feel allowed the whole staff to do what it did today with the strikeout?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: I think it's a combination of some things. We've seen these guy as lot. Me specifically, I've faced them twice. But some other guys on our staff have seen them a lot, so they haven't seen me a ton, I would say.

But, yeah, I just feel like my execution was really good today. I don't feel like I left a lot of balls in the middle. I was pounding the zone a lot, getting ahead two strikes and putting them on the defense I feel like made their swing decisions kind of in two strikes.

THE MODERATOR: Foster, thanks for coming in.

FOSTER GRIFFIN: Thanks, guys.