MLB Moves Up Tigers-Guardians Game 5 By Seven Hours Due to Threat of Poor Weather

Detroit and Cleveland's finale will take place in the afternoon.

Kerry Carpenter runs the bases for the Tigers against the Guardians. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The end of the ALDS between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians will come earlier than expected.

MLB is moving up the start of Game 5 between the two teams Saturday to avoid potential severe weather in Northeast Ohio, it announced Friday afternoon.

"Due to impending weather, in coordination with Major League Baseball, tomorrow's first pitch has been moved to 1:08 p.m. ET," the Guardians announced on their social channels. "Gates will now open at 11 a.m. ET."

The contest was previously scheduled to start at 8:08 p.m. ET after the New York Yankees eliminated the Kansas City Royals Thursday.

An update on tomorrow's game.#ForTheLand | #GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/sGwplXQOCA

— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) October 11, 2024

Game 5 will bring to a conclusion a dynamite series that has seen a number of surprising twists and turns. After Cleveland destroyed the Tigers in Game 1, Detroit threw the Guardians into neutral with back-to-back 3–0 wins in Games 2 and 3.

On Thursday, Cleveland topped the Tigers in Game 4 thanks to a go-ahead pinch-hit two-run home run from David Fry in the seventh inning.

The winner of Saturday's game will face the Yankees in the ALCS.

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