Progressive Field was packed with Cleveland Guardians fans in Game 5, and their energy once again proved that the team could count on its home crowd when the stakes were at their highest. But the postseason atmosphere in Cleveland comes with another challenge for visiting players, something that the Tampa Bay Rays rookie Chandler Simpson experienced that firsthand in Game 5, as the Guardians faithful made their voices heard despite their team eventually falling short. Now, with the Rays just one win away from the World Series, Cleveland’s season hangs by a thread.
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While the Guardians struggle to keep their championship hopes alive, the Rays continue to build momentum, with manager Kevin Cash crediting bench coach Rodney Linares for helping maintain unity inside the clubhouse. From the charged-up atmosphere at Progressive Field to the chemistry fueling Tampa Bay’s postseason push, Sunday night’s showdown had plenty of storylines beyond the final score. Let’s dive in for more details.
Fans take over Progressive Field
“Fans running into Progressive Field to secure their standing-room spot near the right field pole for Game 5 of the ALCS,” Latino Sports shared via X.
The viral video capturing fans sprinting through the gates of Progressive Field to lock down coveted standing-room spots near the right-field pole highlights the immense energy of Game 5 of the 2026 ALCS.
This was not the first time for the Guardians’ home park.
Progressive Field’s physical capacity plays a major role in its “houseful” atmosphere. Following a massive multi-phase, $202.5 million renovation project completed by Mortenson Construction, the stadium removed underutilized upper-deck spaces to modernize the venue.
As of 2026, the official seating capacity sits at 33,530 seats, making it the smallest maximum-capacity stadium in MLB. Because the capacity is tightly curated, typical crowds translate much faster into a visually packed, high-energy environment.
The Guardians fans turned hostile towards the Rays
The Rays’ Chandler Simpson experienced what it means to play against a full-house Progressive Field. On Sunday, just when Simpson reached over the wall to secure the out, a Cleveland Guardians fan physically pushed back at him to try to alter the play.
Despite the physical interference, Simpson successfully made the high-difficulty catch. Because he took away an out in front of the highly passionate Cleveland crowd, he immediately received heavy verbal abuse from the home fans.
The Guardians’ home park had another dark example of hostile fan behavior. In April 2025, a fan crossed a major line by shouting targeted taunts regarding Duran’s mental health struggles, information the player had recently opened up about in a Netflix documentary series.
Still, the Rays came out winners from Sunday’s game. The Guardians will now visit Tropicana Field for the remaining two games of the ALCS. It will not be surprising if the Rays’ fans give it back in the same style.
The Rays manager offered clubhouse insights
Rodney Linares was hired by the Rays in 2018 as the team’s third base coach and was later promoted to bench coach in 2022. And, as per Kevin Cash, Linares gained significant importance in the clubhouse. “Rodney’s meant a ton to our organization since coming over here. There’s such great respect and admiration for Rodney, certainly with our Hispanic players. I mean everybody knows Rodney Linares, and the track record speaks for itself,” Cash said.
The Rays brought Linares on board due to his stellar track record in player development and minor league success. Before joining Tampa Bay, he spent 21 seasons in the Houston Astros organization, managing future superstars like José Altuve, Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman, George Springer, and J.D. Martínez during their formative minor league years.
In 2018, he managed the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies to an 82-57 record, capturing the Pacific Coast League North Division title, and was named the PCL’s Best Manager Prospect by Baseball America.
Linares’ resume has some clutch moments. In the 2020 World Series, trailing by a run with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, Brett Phillips hit a single. Linares made an immediate, aggressive decision to send Randy Arozarena home.
Even after Arozarena tripped and stumbled between third base and home plate, Linares kept his composure, frantically yelling at him in Spanish to get up and keep running. The Dodgers’ defense botched the cutoff play, allowing Arozarena to slide in safely to tie the series in one of the wildest walk-off finishes in baseball history.
All eyes will now be on how the Guardians are welcomed in Tropicana Field.