Progressive Field will have a full postseason feel on Saturday when the Guardians open ALDS Game 1 against the White Sox, and the club is leaning hard into the “Rock Your Red” push for fans.
Gates will open at 11 a.m. for the 1:08 p.m. first pitch, giving the ballpark plenty of time to build up before the game begins. Outside, the Gateway District will have the Da Land Brass Band, while the Right Field District will host a block party from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with DJ London Bridges.
The Guardians also lined up a long list of ceremonial touches for the opener. Former closer Cody Allen will throw out the first pitch. Allen pitched seven seasons for Cleveland from 2012-18 and appeared in 17 postseason games for the team, including the 2016 World Series run.
Browns cornerback Denzel Ward will deliver the game ball.
The pregame ceremony will feature a color guard made up of members of the Coast Guard, Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Space Force. Jon Lampely, who recently played Blossom Music Center while on tour with O.A.R., will sing the national anthem before a 910th Airlift Wing flyover from Youngstown. It will be Lampely’s third anthem performance of the season at Progressive Field.
Retired Cleveland police officer Kennedy Jones will perform “God Bless America,” and the team will unfurl a large American flag on the field before the game. Inside the ballpark, DJ Kyro will handle the music.
The Guardians are urging fans to wear red throughout the postseason as Cleveland begins its chase for a spot in the American League Championship Series.
In Other News...
Guardians Don't Need This Nolan Jones Reunion Right Now
Nolan Jones path has already taken a few detours since his time in Cleveland, and now he is on the open market again after becoming a minor league free agent. After being dealt from the Guardians to the White Sox and then on to the Mariners during the 2024 season, Jones never made it to the majors with Seattle, leaving his stock in a strange place as teams weigh whether there is still enough upside to chase.
For Cleveland, the timing makes this more of a luxury than a necessity. The Guardians had already tendered Jones a contract for 2026 that would have guaranteed a $2 million salary, but with outfield depth already part of the conversation and Jones coming off a rough stretch, a reunion does not feel like the move that solves a pressing need. If there is interest here, it is more about familiarity than fit, and that is usually not enough to justify a roster shuffle this early. [Read more 🡒]
Former Guardians Coach Just Got Tied To A Brutal Orioles Debate
Craig Albernazs name has surfaced in an uncomfortable Orioles conversation after a frustrating season that ended with a 79-82 record and no postseason berth. The former Guardians coach was in charge in Baltimore in 2026, and the disappointment has only sharpened scrutiny around a roster full of young talent that never quite clicked, including Colton Cowser, Gunner Henderson and Jackson Holiday.
The latest flashpoint comes from Jim Palmer, who said he urged Albernaz to have Cowser study Cody Bellingers at-bats as a way to help his approach at the plate. According to Palmer, the suggestion did not get far, and it has become part of the broader debate over why Baltimores promising core underperformed in such a costly season. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Offense Brings A Different ALDS Threat Than White Sox Fans Expect
The postseason matchup with Chicago brings a familiar kind of anxiety for Cleveland, but not for the reason White Sox fans may be expecting. The Guardians do not go into the ALDS with a lineup built around towering home runs or the kind of one-swing threat that can overwhelm a series, yet their offense has picked up enough momentum to make them a real problem in a different way.
After adding Nathaniel Lowe and Jo Adell at the trade deadline, Cleveland found a little more depth and balance, while Stephen Kwan and Travis Bazzana have helped stabilize the lineup with their own improvements. The result is a group that may not try to trade blows with Chicagos power bats, but can hang around late, extend games, and make every inning feel uncomfortable for a White Sox team that would rather finish things early. [Read more 🡒]