AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: GUARDIANS VS RAYS

October 15, 2026

Petey Halpin

Progessive Field

Cleveland Guardians

Postgame 3 Press Conference

Guardians - 3, Rays - 2

Q. In that moment, the home run, looking at it and then you probably throw the bat maybe higher than you ever have, what was going through your mind? And did you notice how high you threw the bat?

PETEY HALPIN: I looked at it after. I definitely threw it high. I think just the moment and that being for sure the biggest moment of my career, just the energy and the excitement, just kind of let it go.

Q. Stephen just told us he didn't see the bat flip, he saw the ball barely clear the wall. What was your perspective on that?

PETEY HALPIN: I knew I hit it good. I thought I got more of it, I guess. And maybe I was a little tense. When it got out, I kind of threw it. But it's only gotta go, you know, a little bit over the wall. So that was cool.

Q. When you get to the dugout afterwards, it seems like the group's just going crazy. What has that energy been like for you when you get around you?

PETEY HALPIN: It's awesome. You get to feed off of each other, right? When anyone does their job and gets the job done and puts on us in a position to win, everyone on the team's juiced. It's not about me or that home run, but it's just the fact that we're winning and we keep rolling.

Q. Off that specifically, there's a clip of Steven Kwan jumping up and down for you. Did you get to see any of that reaction over there before you went over to him?

PETEY HALPIN: No, not yet. I haven't really, dove in. I saw the bat flip because I knew that it was pretty high. But besides that, I haven't looked at it.

Q. Before all of the celebrations and the big swing, can you just tell us about that at-bat in itself, because Griffin Jax had been rolling and you guys got a pretty good chunk of him in that inning, and what you saw in that sinker?

PETEY HALPIN: Yeah, I knew that he used a sinker in a few times to lefties before, kind of as a strikeout pitch, was going in. I was on fastball. I was on a hard timing trying to get the head out and it all worked out. He left it over the plate a little bit and I was able to make a good swing.

Q. As a teammate, what's it like for you to watch this run that Gavin Williams is on lately?

PETEY HALPIN: Oh, it's unbelievable. He's an absolute horse. He goes out there, he dominates, throw strikes, puts us in a position to win every time he pitches. And you can't ask for more out of a guy. Same guy every day.

Q. Vogter talked about you have become more of a leader this year. Just what has allowed you as such a young age to feel confident to do so and then just comfortable in that role?

PETEY HALPIN: It's about the guys, the guys around, and how, you know, from day one, I felt so comfortable being here, and they let you be who you are and we feed off of each other's energy, whatever that is, and it's just such a group of guys that it's a lot of fun to show up to work every day and play baseball.

Q. What is it about you guys? Every time it feels like the opposition steals momentum from you, one of you finds a way to regain it. What is it about this club that no matter what gets thrown at you, you guys always find a way to bounce back?

PETEY HALPIN: Just trust in each other. If it wasn't me, it was going to be somebody else. Just having that faith and having that trust that somebody's going to get the job done and it takes kind of some pressure off of you. I'm like, if I don't do it, somebody else will.

Q. As you're watching the duel between Cade and Yandy there in the eighth from center field, how are you seeing that play out? What are you thinking as it's developing?

PETEY HALPIN: That's a great at-bat. I mean, just putting up that kind of a bat against Cade was impressive in itself. And just watching him ripping, you know, right on right splitters to pulse high. It was just like this is competitive baseball. This is the best that it gets. It's fun to be a part of.

Q. What does it mean to a rookie to get this opportunity to play in the postseason here in the last three, four games?

PETEY HALPIN: Yeah, it's been awesome to have that trust. And I think from the first game, Game 5, where I started, just knowing that Vogt had that trust in me and the rest of the staff, it gave me confidence. If they know I can do it, then I can do it. I have no fear.

Q. The "Petey" chants keep getting louder and louder, and the energy at Progressive Field seems to carry you guys along. How important is that in the postseason?

PETEY HALPIN: It's great. Just having as much momentum as we can possibly have, and being able to feed off of that, feed off the crowd, feed off the energy, it's a lot of fun.

Q. Keeping on that trend, an unexpected 1:00 game on a weekday, what did you think of this crowd?

PETEY HALPIN: It was great. It was awesome. The energy that they brought, especially with the change and the 1:00 on a weekday, like, it was going out there and seeing how loud they were from pitch one, it was really fun.

Q. Going back to the leadership element for a second, has there been a player that's taken you under their wing this season?

PETEY HALPIN: I think from the outfield side, just having Steven Kwan, just, like, the guy is cool as can be. He's always got a level head. No moment's too big. And from when I got drafted and playing with him in Arizona and Spring Training and everything, shows you how to be a leader and how to be the teammate that you want to be. As an outfield guy, for sure.

Q. Can you describe to me how humble you feel after the fans kept chanting your name, not only after the home run, but when you make a routine flyout? It's got to feel good for you.

PETEY HALPIN: Yeah, it feels great, having that behind me and just being able to enjoy the moment, hopefully get that one, which we ended up doing, so that was a really cool moment.