CLEVELAND, Ohio – A season of comebacks and engraved memories is on the brink as the Cleveland Guardians host the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the ALCS today – Saturday, Oct. 19 – at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. The game is available to watch on multiple streaming services for free.
Game 5 will broadcast live on TBS, truTV and Max with the first pitch at 8:08 p.m. Eastern. Those who have cut the cable cord can catch this pivotal game for free by utilizing streaming alternatives like FuboTV (Spanish broadcast also available via Unimas) and DirecTV Stream, which both offer a free trial. FuboTV is also offering $20 off your first month. SlingTV also has promotional offers.
Also, check out how you can watch every game in the Guardians-Yankees ALCS series for free.
The Guardians
It was deja vu for the Guardians as they scrapped and clawed their way to the ninth inning, erasing a 6-2 deficit and setting up a 6-6 game with star closer Emmanuel Clase on the mound. Redemption was on the table. But the Yankees ripped off the cloth.
New York’s powerful lineup once again crumbled the scintillating flamethrower, gashing him for two runs, lifting the Bronx Bombers to an 8-6 victory.
Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor‘s bats finally came to life, garnering five RBI in a losing effort.
Cleveland left 12 runners on base as they continue to produce strong traffic. The Guardians have stranded 39 runners in four games.
Guardians players to watch
Emmanuel Clase‘s second blown save in as many days, and third this postseason, proves its not just a fluke. For whatever reason, his velocity is down at times and New York sluggers have made him pay. Despite Cleveland facing elimination, it’s farfetched to believe they will abandon the arm that got them this far.
Josh Naylor was feast or famine in Game 4 with two hits and three RBI while also striking out twice. He has struck out seven times this series. His clutch at-bat is crucial to push this game back to the Bronx for Game 6.
Jose Ramirez also got the train rolling with two hits and two RBI. Ramirez has two home runs and six RBI while batting .226 this postseason.
Watch Guardians vs. Yankees for free on DirecTV Stream
The Yankees
After another nail-biting encounter at Progressive Field, including relinquishing a four-run lead, the Yankees are one win away from their first American League pennant in 15 years.
The boisterous bats once again came through in the clutch as Juan Soto bolted them on the board in the first while Austin Wells and Giancarlo Stanton both went yard, the latter for a mammoth three-run blast.
In a defining trend of the series, New York once again got to Emmanuel Clase, reeling together two runs, beginning with Alex Verdugo‘s grounder that resulted in an error on Clevland’s Brayan Rocchio, and a Gleyber Torres RBI single to tack on another insurance run.
The Yankees last made it to the World Series in 2009. Will they be popping champagne in Cleveland by the end of the evening?
Yankees players to watch
Giancarlo Stanton joined Reggie Jackson as the only two Yankees to hit four or more home runs in multiple postseasons. Stanton has three home runs and five RBI in the ALCS. He touts nine RBI this postseason and is averaging a home run every 7.5 at-bats.
Gleyber Torres has come away with the timely hits. He is batting .281 with a .838 OPS this postseason. He has six hits in the ALCS, including a double and two RBI.
The frontrunner for AL MVP, Aaron Judge has a three-game hitting streak, but was much quieter in Game 4, mustering one run with two strikeouts and a walk. He had five RBI in Games 2 and 3 combined.
Watch Guardians vs. Yankees on FuboTV for free
Tonight’s pitching matchup
(NY) Carlos Rodon (1-1, 4.66 ERA) vs. (CLE) Tanner Bibee (0-1, 3.60)
After taking a loss in Game 2 of the ALDS, Rodon was sharp in Game 1 of the ALCS, allowing just one run on three hits in six innings of work. He has tallied 16 strikeouts with a 1.03 WHIP in two games this postseason.
The Yankees bullpen is likely limited as Clay Holmes has pitched four of the past five games. Tommy Kahnle has pitched three of the last four games. Yankees manager Aaron Boone is banking on a strong start from Rodon. Closer Luke Weaver was held off last night’s dramatic conclusion.
Bibee was bewildered after being pulled by manager Stephen Vogt just four outs into Game 2 at New York. That move allows him to pitch in the biggest game of the season on short rest. Bibee threw 39 pitches in Game 2 and allowed three runs and one walk while striking out two. He has tallied 11 strikeouts with a 1.70 WHIP in the three games this postseason.
The best bullpen in baseball is bending and on the verge of snapping. Cade Smith, who has been lights out all postseason, allowed a three-run home run to Giancarlo Stanton in the top of the sixth.
Who are the announcers for Guardians vs. Yankees Game 5?
Brian Anderson will be on play-by-play while Ron Darling and Jeff Francoeur will be the analyst. Lauren Jbara will report from the field.
What are the latest odds for Guardians vs Yankees Game 5?
Spread: NY: (-1.5), CLE: (+1.5)
Moneyline: NY: (-122), CLE: (+102)
Run total: 7.5
Full ALCS Schedule
Game 1: Yankees 5, Guardians 2
Game 2: Yankees 6, Guardians 3
Game 3: Guardians 7, Yankees 5 (F/10)
Game 4: Yankees 8, Guardians 6
Game 5: Yankees at Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 19, 8:08 p.m., TBS, truTV and Max
Game 6: Guardians at Yankees, Monday, Oct. 21, 5:08 p.m., TBS, truTV and Max
Game 7: Guardians at Yankees, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 7:38 p.m., TBS, truTV and Max
Buy ticket to Guardians-Yankees now
Here’s more information on how to watch today’s Guardians vs. Yankees playoff game.
What: ALCS Game 5: Cleveland Guardians vs. New York Yankees
When: Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024
Time: 8:08 p.m. Eastern
Where: Progressive Field | Cleveland, Ohio
Channels: TBS, truTV and Max
Best streaming options: FuboTV (free trial and $20 off first month), DirecTV Stream (5-day free trial), SlingTV (half off first month)
Cable Channel Finder: AT&T U-Verse, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, Cox, DirecTV, Dish, Verizon Fios
Here is a part of a story on Jhonkensy Noel’s seventh-inning near replication of Game 3 from cleveland.com Guardians beat writer Joe Noga.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The stage was set for another big moment Friday night in the seventh inning of Game 4 of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field.
Josh Naylor had just delivered a two-run double that cut New York’s lead to 6-5. Lane Thomas had drawn a walk against Clay Holmes, and the Yankees were bringing in Mark Leiter Jr. from the bullpen.
It was time for Jhonkensy Noel to get a pinch-hit at-bat. And just like he had done the night before in Cleveland’s wild Game 4 comeback win, more than 35,000 fans were hoping to see Noel deliver a home run swing.
They found out, however, that Big Christmas arrives only once a year. If you’re lucky.
Noel held off on a Leiter sweeper before taking a curveball up and over the plate. Leiter’s third pitch was another sweeper, this time on the outside part of the plate that Noel swung at and launched into the air.
Fans rose as one from their seats, trying to will the ball over the wall in left field, but Noel had made contact too far out on the end of the barrel. The ball left the bat at 90.3 mph, according to Statcast, at a launch angle of 35 degrees. It carried 328 feet to the warning track in left, where Alex Verdugo raced over and made the catch.
Noel’s drive hung in the air for 4.8 seconds and made Verdugo travel 85 feet to complete the catch. It had a .040 expected batting average and a 77% catch probability.
