AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: GUARDIANS VS RAYS

October 11, 2026

Foster Griffin

Tropicana Field

Cleveland Guardians

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. How did you get this news, and what does it mean to you to have the opportunity to take Game 1 for these guys?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: Got the news about 10 minutes ago. I mean, it's a huge honor, Game 1 of an ALCS. Just really looking forward to it, right?

I feel like we used our aces A1 and A1A with Gavin and Parker to get us through that last series. I'm sure they'll be a big part in this series as well, but I'm looking forward to getting kickoff.

Q. You said you found out about 10 minutes ago. Who told you? Were you guessing that it might be you given sort of all the pitching that you guys went through in that five-game series?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: Yeah, you never know with playoffs. I was used in a little bit different role than I was accustomed to in that last series, and didn't know if they liked the way that they had me in that series, that it would carry into this one or if I go back to starting, but I was comfortable either way.

Vogter pulled me in his office about 10 minutes ago. I think they had a meeting about everything, all the options, and, yeah, he let me know.

Q. After having the only one appearance in the ALDS, how do you feel control-wise and your ability to throw strikes?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: I feel like that's one of the things that I like to say I'm pretty good at. If you're going to beat me, I want you to beat me in the zone. I don't want to create big innings or anything like that with letting walks happen.

Just trying to stay as sharp as much as I can throughout the DS and a little bit before during the Wild Card, just touching the mound and having some live BP action during that Wild Card series before the Division Series started. So I feel pretty good about where we're at.

Q. You were warming up last night. Was that planned for, hey, we might need you in this game? Or was that more in line with Gavin getting some work in?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: No, we were getting hot for -- there was a scenario with Montgomery, and there was also another, like, lefty pocket there that we were getting hot for. I don't think there was any scenario of throwing a bullpen session. I think it was still all hands on deck at that point during that game.

Q. Can you run through how much of a blur it's been since last night, maybe since that last out, just how you guys celebrated, process it. I assume you didn't sleep a ton, and then getting here and all that?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: Yeah, I think we pivoted a little bit from what happened our last travel day, where we traveled back. We kind of stayed back in Cleveland, and then left today. I think that did everybody a little bit better for sleep. So I think everyone feels a bit more rested.

Yeah, I think we just took last night with what it was and celebrated last night and had fun with it. And once we got on the plane today, we're moving forward to tomorrow.

Q. What do you know about the Rays? What kind of challenge do they present as a lineup?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: I would say a very complete team. They got some slug for sure, and also just have some really good just baseball knowledge type players, get a guy over less than two outs, knowing when to hit the sac fly, put the ball on the ground in certain situations. Have some speed as well. More of a complete team instead of just a 1-through-9, trying to hit you for a home run or slug.

They're a really good team for a reason. A lot of dissecting that we'll try to do over the next 24 hours, and we'll go from there.

Q. You just mentioned that you found out 10 minutes ago that this would be your start. But was there any point during that last series that you did get to take some time away for a traditional-start prep to look at this?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: No. I think we always knew. Once we had the discussion about Game 3 being an opener of the DS, that I knew that my role even into Game 4 and Game 5, knowing it was going to be Parker and Gavin, that I knew my role was going to be in the bullpen for that series.

Q. Following up on the Rays question and given the amount of strikeouts you've had in the last series, especially last night, there's a good chance they're going to be swinging early in the counts. As a pitcher, how do you combat that?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: I think you kind of just stick -- we always have a game plan going into the first time through, at least, right? And then if things need to change, even after the first inning based off of what we think their attack plan might be, we'll pivot to that.

But we're always going to go in a game plan going into the game. And we'll pivot off of that if we need to.

Q. To the Rays lineup, just with their contact profile and the fact that strikeouts isn't going to be a big part of an outing against them, how does that maybe alter the way you attack knowing that they might put balls in play that might be chase pitches for you at different times?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: I don't think it's going to alter much for me. I'm not someone who heavily relies on the strikeout necessarily. I feel like we've got gold out there with us too and some really good defensive players. So I'm kind of welcoming to putting the ball in play and hopefully getting some quick outs. And that will take me deep into the game.

Q. What do you think that you guys drew out of that series against the White Sox?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: I think it might have prepared us even more moving forward. We played some really meaningful games there in September, which I think prepared us for that Division Series. And then how tight we played them in the Division Series and how intense those games are and how meaningful they were, I think, gave us a lot of belief that we can do this, we can keep moving forward, we can beat the good team, we can win the tight game, especially late.

So I think we have a lot of good momentum moving into the series.

Q. You spent three years in Japan. Signed with the Nationals. Get traded to Cleveland. How have you managed to keep your feet in one place, just kind of stay grounded?

FOSTER GRIFFIN: Yeah, more than anything, I feel like I ground myself in my faith, and that's number one in my, for sure. The other thing is I feel like combined with that is kind of like what you said, I just want to be where my feet are.

A lot of different people have asked me if I've looked back on this season yet to look how far I've come, or looked at all the different places I've been. But I feel like there's still a job to be done. I feel like we're not finished quite yet.

Once the last game for us is recorded, then maybe I'll have that time to reflect. But I feel like once you do that, you mentally go to a place that probably you shouldn't just yet. So I kind of want to stay mentally sharp, mentally focused on the task at stake.