If you’re typing do the Cleveland Indians play today into your phone while sitting on your couch in the middle of January, I’ve got a bit of a "good news, bad news" situation for you.
First, the simple fact: No. There is no professional baseball team called the "Cleveland Indians" playing today. Or tomorrow. In fact, that name hasn't officially appeared on an MLB jersey since the end of the 2021 season.
If you’re looking for the team that used to be the Indians—now known as the Cleveland Guardians—they aren't playing today either. It is currently January 17, 2026. Unless you count a bunch of guys doing light toss in a heated indoor facility somewhere, the boys of summer are still hibernating.
When Does Cleveland Actually Start Playing?
I get it. The Cleveland winter is long. The lake effect snow is no joke, and by mid-January, we’re all desperate for the sound of a wood bat and the sight of green grass. But the MLB calendar is a stubborn thing.
We are currently in the deep "Hot Stove" season. This is when front offices argue over arbitration numbers and fans refresh Twitter (or whatever we're calling it this week) to see if the Guardians have finally traded for another heavy-hitting outfielder.
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The first real date you need to circle on your calendar is February 12, 2026. That’s when pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Goodyear, Arizona. The first full-squad workout follows shortly after on February 17.
If you want to see an actual game, you’ll have to wait until the Cactus League starts. The Guardians' 2026 Spring Training opener is set for Saturday, February 21, 2026. They have a split-squad day to kick things off:
- One group stays home at Goodyear Ballpark to play the Cincinnati Reds.
- The other group travels to Phoenix to take on the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Guardians 2026 Regular Season Countdown
Regular season baseball is still a ways off. Cleveland starts the 2026 campaign on the road, which has basically become a tradition at this point.
Opening Day 2026 is March 26.
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The Guardians will be out in Seattle facing the Mariners. It’s the ninth year in a row they’ve started the season on the road. Honestly, considering the weather in Northeast Ohio in late March, that might be for the best. Remember 2016? The home opener got snowed out.
The Home Opener at Progressive Field is scheduled for Friday, April 3, 2026, against the Chicago Cubs. That’s going to be a massive ticket. It's only the second time in franchise history that Cleveland has hosted a National League team for their home opener.
Why Do People Still Ask "Do the Cleveland Indians Play Today?"
It’s been over four years since the name change, but search data shows thousands of people still use the old name. It’s muscle memory. People grew up with "The Tribe."
The shift to "Guardians" happened officially on November 19, 2021. The name comes from the Guardians of Traffic, those massive Art Deco statues on the Hope Memorial Bridge right outside the stadium. It was a move to distance the franchise from Native American imagery that had been the subject of decades of protests. Chief Wahoo had already been removed from the uniforms back in 2019, so the name change was the final step in a very long rebranding process.
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Notable Matchups to Watch in 2026
When the season finally does get here, the 2026 schedule has some quirks. Because of the balanced schedule MLB uses now, the Guardians don't play their division rivals (the White Sox, Tigers, Royals, and Twins) nearly as often as they used to.
Here are a few series that look interesting:
- The Ohio Cup: They play the Reds in mid-May (May 15-17).
- The World Series Rematch: That April 3-5 series against the Cubs will bring back plenty of 2016 memories (some good, some painful).
- The Giants Standalone: MLB is doing a special "Opening Night" on March 25 with the Giants and Yankees. Cleveland fans will likely be watching that just to see the season finally start.
What to Do While You Wait
Since you can't watch a game today, you've basically got two options. You can go down a YouTube rabbit hole of José Ramírez highlights, or you can start planning your trip to Goodyear.
If you’re planning to head to Arizona for Spring Training, tickets went on sale back in December. The Goodyear complex is actually one of the nicer ones because the Guardians and Reds share it, so there's almost always a game happening right there.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Sync your calendar: Go to the official MLB site and download the 2026 Guardians schedule to your phone so you don't have to keep searching for game times.
- Check the roster: Keep an eye on the 40-man roster moves this month. Pitchers like Joey Cantillo and young bats like Chase DeLauter are going to be huge storylines once camp opens in February.
- Update your gear: If you're still rocking the old block "C" or Wahoo gear, the team shop at Progressive Field usually clears out last year's Guardians merchandise in January to make room for the new spring arrivals.
The wait for baseball is almost over, but for today, the bats are silent. We've got about 35 days until we see a box score again.