The start time for Game 3 of the ALCS between the Rays and the Guardians on Thursday was moved up five hours to 1 p.m. ET, ESPN reported, citing expected inclement weather in Cleveland. MLB.com and Sportsnet reported the same change. Sportsnet described it as a game to be played in the afternoon. A r/baseball post said the same.

The summaries we have don't say what the forecast is, whether a delay or postponement was considered, or whether the later time would have been in jeopardy. ESPN's note that the original start was five hours later is the only detail on the previous time. That puts it at 6 p.m. ET.

The series arrives in Cleveland level at one win apiece. The Guardians won Game 1 7-3 at Tampa Bay on Monday, Oct. 12. The Rays answered on Tuesday, Oct. 13, with a 3-1 win. Each club therefore carries a one-game losing streak into the move. The Rays are 98-64, and they won the AL East. The Guardians are 85-77, and they won the AL Central.

Before the series, Cleveland's last game at home was a 2-0 win over the White Sox on Saturday, Oct. 10. Both teams have now played the same number of games under the same conditions. The Rays' 13-game regular-season gap over Cleveland was no help in Tampa, where the Guardians took the opener.

The early start gives both clubs a shorter turnaround on a travel day. Neither outlet's summary mentions any change to the schedule beyond Thursday. Game 4 is listed for Friday, Oct. 16, and Game 5 for Saturday, Oct. 17, both in Cleveland. Whether the weather affects those dates isn't covered in the reporting we have. Game 3 itself is listed as Rays at Guardians on Oct. 15.