LIVE: Guardians-Yankees ALCS Game 1 (TBS)

NEW YORK -- The red, white and blue bunting remains draped from all levels of Yankee Stadium, where cooler weather is forecast for Monday evening, bringing in what Yankees manager Aaron Boone described as “that October feel.”

The place will be packed, and it will be loud, promising to be the ideal setting for the opener of this American League Championship Series. For the fourth time since 2017, the Guardians and Yankees will meet in a postseason showdown, this time with a trip to the World Series on the line.

• FOLLOW LIVE: Guardians-Yankees ALCS Game 1

“I’m sure Yankee Stadium is going to be rocking,” Boone said. “We’re now in the round playing for a chance to win a pennant and go to the World Series. It’s going to be an awesome atmosphere. Obviously we have some history with a lot of guys over there in the playoffs, so I’m sure it will be a great environment.”

As much as the Guardians were savoring their postgame celebration after Saturday’s AL Division Series Game 5 victory over the Tigers, they knew that they had to start looking forward to the next challenge. Detroit played a similar, scrappy style of game as Cleveland does. The Guardians know this round will be much different.

“We're playing a very, very good Yankee team,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “We've seen them in the regular season. This is one of the most talented teams in the league. So we know we have our work cut out for us.”

• Guardians-Yankees position-by-position breakdown

When is the game and how can I watch it?
Game 1 of the American League Championship Series is airing now on TBS, truTV and Max.

All games are available in the U.S. on MLB.TV (authentication to a participating Pay TV provider is required). Live games are also available in select countries outside the U.S. For full details, click here.

Who are the starting pitchers?
Guardians: Cleveland has decided to go with veteran right-hander Alex Cobb for Game 1. Cobb was cleared to return from the injured list to start Game 3 of the ALDS, but it was his first outing in more than a month. He gave up two runs in three innings in the loss.

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"Top to bottom, they're experienced hitters," Cobb said of the Yankees. "Obviously the ballpark itself presents its own challenges, so trying to keep the ball on the ground is big here. Trying to keep the crowd out of it is going to be big."

Yankees: Carlos Rodón will be pitching on extra rest after starting ALDS Game 2 vs. Kansas City, when he threw 72 pitches and allowed four runs in 3 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts. He did not face Cleveland this season, but he was 9-2 with a 3.11 ERA in 14 home starts. Rodón said that he will aim to better control his emotions after peaking too early in his Yankees playoff debut.

• 5 X-factors for the Yankees in the ALCS

What are the starting lineups?
Guardians: As always, the Guardians will want to construct their lineup to beat the starter. The Yankees have announced Rodón as the starter, so Cleveland is countering with this lineup.

1. Steven Kwan, LF
2. David Fry, DH
3. José Ramírez, 3B
4. Lane Thomas, CF
5. Josh Naylor, 1B
6. Jhonkensy Noel, RF
7. Bo Naylor, C
8. Andrés Giménez, 2B
9. Brayan Rocchio, SS

Yankees: Anthony Rizzo, who was added to the ALCS roster, is back at first base and hitting eighth in his first game action since Sept. 28 after he was hit by a pitch on his right hand.

1. Gleyber Torres, 2B
2. Juan Soto, RF
3. Aaron Judge, CF
4. Austin Wells, C
5. Giancarlo Stanton, DH
6. Jazz Chisholm Jr., 3B
7. Anthony Volpe, SS
8. Anthony Rizzo, 1B
9. Alex Verdugo, LF

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How will the bullpens line up after each team's starter?
Guardians: The bullpen will be used early and often. This group ended the season with the fourth-lowest bullpen ERA by any team since 1995. Even though Cade Smith already has pitched in every playoff game this year, expect him to still be the first man out of the ‘pen. From there, the Guardians will keep relying on the Big Four: Smith, Tim Herrin, Hunter Gaddis and Emmanuel Clase. And when they need a few extra innings elsewhere, they have not been afraid to turn to rookies Andrew Walters and Erik Sabrowski, both of whom debuted in September.

Yankees: The Bombers' bullpen was excellent during the ALDS, spinning 15 2/3 innings without permitting an earned run. Luke Weaver saved all of the Yanks’ victories over Kansas City, appearing in each game. Clay Holmes held the Royals to just three hits over five innings. The Yanks added Marcus Stroman to their ALCS roster; he worked in a simulated game this week to tune up and would be used as a long reliever.

Any injuries of note?
Guardians: Infielder/outfielder Tyler Freeman strained his oblique during a workout this week and was removed from the ALDS roster. Don’t expect him to be ready for the ALCS.

Yankees: Left-hander Nestor Cortes (left elbow flexor strain) has been ramping up throwing but has yet to face hitters since his injury. Infielder DJ LeMahieu (right hip impingement) is also trying to be a playoff option, and Boone noted that he’s been moving better lately.

Who is hot and who is not?
Guardians: Yes, Thomas was the hero for the Guardians in Game 5 of the ALDS with the go-ahead grand slam, but it’s hard to be hotter than Kwan is at the plate right now. On Saturday, he became the third MLB player to record at least three hits in three straight postseason games, joining Tim Anderson (2020) and Lou Brock (1968). Can he make it a fourth on Monday?

Yankees: If they handed out ALDS MVP awards, Stanton would be clutching hardware. The slugger hit a deciding homer in Game 3 and was 6-for-16 (.375) with two doubles and four RBIs. Soto was second on the club with four hits during the ALDS and also worked three walks. Judge had a quiet series, held to a double and an infield single in 13 at-bats, though he did work five walks. Judge is looking to shake his quiet playoff narrative in this ALCS. Judge is 7-for-49 (.143) with two homers, three RBIs and 20 strikeouts in 13 postseason games since 2022.

Anything else fans might want to know?

• Cleveland and New York played six games this season, with the Yankees winning four and outscoring the Guardians 37-22. The Yanks swept an April 13 doubleheader in Cleveland, but the Guardians handed the Bombers a walk-off 8-7 loss in 10 innings on April 14. New York won two of three games against the Guardians at Yankee Stadium from Aug. 20-22.

• Only the Yankees and Dodgers have faced off more in postseason history than New York and Cleveland. Their most recent meeting was the 2022 ALDS, when the Yanks rallied from a 2-1 series deficit thanks to strong performances from Gerrit Cole in Game 4 and Cortes in Game 5. Other series include: 2020 Wild Card Series, 2017 ALDS, 2007 ALDS, 1998 ALCS and 1997 ALDS.

• The Yankees’ current 14-season drought without a pennant is tied for the second-longest such streak in franchise history, behind only their first 18 seasons (1903-20).