AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: GUARDIANS VS RAYS

October 17, 2026

Stephen Vogt

Progressive Field

Cleveland Guardians

Postgame 4 Press Conference

Rays - 7, Guardians - 3

Q. What was the difference with Espino tonight compared to the first two outings?

STEPHEN VOGT: Just strike-throwing. Obviously came in, got Díaz. Then the two walks to start the inning. Just a little bit of command, even to Caminero, didn't quite get those pitches where he wanted them to. But that was the difference tonight with Daniel, was just the strike-throwing.

Q. Did that ball just skip by Chase? I didn't get a good look at it.

STEPHEN VOGT: That's what it looked like. It looked like it may have snaked on him or just skipped by him, took his eye off of it. But a couple unfortunate plays for us tonight that we usually complete and just weren't able to do it.

Q. Starter for Game 5?

STEPHEN VOGT: Parker Messick's going to start tomorrow.

Q. When did you know that that might be the case?

STEPHEN VOGT: We always had an idea that it might be. We needed to see how things shook out this game. But obviously the amount of pitching that we needed to use, we need Parker to go for us tomorrow.

Q. You expect things to be tight with you and the Rays in this series, right? So what comes next?

STEPHEN VOGT: This is the ALCS. We obviously would have loved to have taken tonight. But we still have a three-game series ahead of us against a really good team. And I anticipate it going down to the wire. That's the way these two teams are.

Q. Your thoughts on Tim Herrin kind of wiggling out of that really difficult spot? And did that play into your thought process on sending him back out to start the next inning?

STEPHEN VOGT: He came in and did his job and then some. You've got that situation. You're coming in, getting outs, not allowing them to score another run.

But, again, having to go to the bullpen and having to use two guys there in that inning, we felt like we could maybe squeeze another hitter or out of him. And he got a weak ground ball. He did his job.

Q. They have a really deep lineup to begin with. But what makes their top of the lineup with Yandy and Aranda so dangerous?

STEPHEN VOGT: They're two of the best hitters in the league. Have been. Caminero as well. That's a tough three to get through.

And we didn't execute against them tonight, like we talked about pregame. The first three games felt like we executed really well against those guys, and we just didn't tonight. And they made us pay.

Q. What did you think of Armstrong and Griffin?

STEPHEN VOGT: They were both outstanding. Army, obviously, getting us through the first unscathed. And then Foster did his job. We talked pregame that that was kind of where we wanted to go. And with it being tied, that always makes it a little bit more difficult. But Foster did his job and then some.

Q. What adjustments did you see from Martinez after that first inning? He really kind of settled in after that.

STEPHEN VOGT: Looked like he went heavy, heavy, heavy change-up after that. He was not challenging us with any fastballs in the zone after the first. So we just weren't able to get that timing on that change-up like we talked about pregame.

It's a stop ball. It just never gets there. He started landing it for strikes, putting it below. He was getting the backdoor slider working all night, the three fastballs. He threw an excellent game against us.

Q. What was the thinking when you guys decided to go away from Griffin there with two outs in the inning?

STEPHEN VOGT: With Yandy coming up to face him for the second time, we had talked, that's kind of where we wanted to go.

Again, in a tie game like that, you don't know when it's going to flip, when it's going to go. We made the decision that we felt was best in the moment. And we got Yandy, and then the next inning didn't go so well.

Q. You're tied. How do you feel tied? You're definitely going back to Tropicana.

STEPHEN VOGT: Yeah, we're great. We're right in it. We're even. Again, now, it's a three-game series. I've put our guys up against any team in the world in a three-game series.

Of course we would have loved to have taken a 3-to-1 lead tonight, but it's not in the cards. We can't control that now. We just show up, ready to play a good Game 5, and have a happy flight to Tampa.