Upcoming Cleveland Guardians dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Guardians seating, answered up front
Most Cleveland Guardians fans should buy a lower-level seat on the home side of Progressive Field, near sections 160 to 164, where seating guides put the Guardians dugout. For a summer afternoon, lean toward the third-base side and the higher rows of the lower bowl; that half of the park picks up shade first, and the upper rows sit beneath the overhang.
Size is the other factor. After a string of renovations, the park held 34,820 seats as of 2025, the fewest in Major League Baseball. A small bowl means few truly distant seats, but it also means big games run short of tickets sooner than they would in a 45,000-seat stadium.
- Home-team view: the 160s.
- Strike-zone view: the sections behind the plate, between the dugouts.
- Shade: third-base side, higher rows.
- First visit on a budget: the 500 level, which is closer than upper decks in larger parks.
Field level, 300s and 500s at the Jake
Field level (100s)
The lower bowl circles the infield and outfield. Infield seats here go by names such as Diamond Box and Field Box, with the price tracking how close the row is to the grass. The visitors' dugout sits in front of sections 140 to 146, so buyers who want the away team's bench, or simply a cheaper infield seat, can look at that side.
300 level
The middle deck is a step back from the action with a cleaner overhead view of plays developing. It suits fans who want an infield angle without lower-bowl pricing.
500 level
The upper deck is where supply runs deepest. Because the park is compact, the distance penalty is smaller than at most ballparks, and the view takes in the whole field and the downtown skyline.
Outfield
The outfield seats beneath the 200-foot light towers trade the pitch-by-pitch angle for a better chance at a home run ball. The 19-foot wall in left field adds its own character to those sections.
Rows, shade and the shallow-bowl problem
Seating guides describe the lower bowl as fairly shallow, which means the rise from one row to the next is gentle. A tall fan directly in front can take a slice out of your view. Two easy fixes: move up a few rows, or buy an aisle seat so you can lean.
Cover is row-specific. In section 142, behind the visitors' dugout, rows X and higher sit under the overhang. The same pattern holds across much of the lower level: front rows are exposed to sun and rain, back rows are protected. For a weekend afternoon in June, July or August, a covered row on the third-base side is the most comfortable seat in the building.
April and May are a different story. Lake Erie weather can turn cold quickly, and a sunny front-row seat is welcome on a raw spring night.
The Guardians dates that sell out first
Spring training happens in February and March at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona, the club's Cactus League base since 2009 and shared with the Cincinnati Reds since 2010. The regular season starts in late March or early April and runs through late September, with October games for postseason teams.
- Opening Day: the largest spring crowd, cold or not.
- Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox series: division games with road fans from both cities.
- Cincinnati Reds: the yearly Ohio Cup series draws from both ends of the state.
- Summer Friday and Saturday nights: fireworks dates fill far ahead of weeknights.
A small capacity magnifies demand. Since the club won the AL Central in 2025, weekend and late-season dates have held firmer. Weeknights in April and May, when the forecast is a gamble, are the most common value games, and those prices often slip as first pitch nears.
RTA walkway, garage and Progressive Field rules
Skip the car if you can. On game days an enclosed walkway of about five minutes links the RTA rail stations to the ballpark; it opens by 5:30 p.m. for weeknight games and 5 p.m. for Saturday games. Drivers can reach the attached garage from Huron Road, Eagle Avenue or Bolivar Road. Accessible parking spaces are first come, first served.
As of the 2026 season, the team's posted rules include the following; confirm them in the Progressive Field ballpark guide before game day.
- Bags: small bags up to 16 by 16 by 8 inches, plus diaper bags, medical bags and clutches. Hard-sided coolers are not allowed.
- Gates: one hour early Sunday through Thursday; 90 minutes early on Fridays and Saturdays in April, May and September; two hours early on summer Fridays and Saturdays.
- Payment: cashless, with free reverse ATMs that load cash onto a prepaid card.
- Tickets: held in the MLB Ballpark app.
- Smoking and vaping: prohibited under Ohio law.
Reserved Seat orders include free shipping.
Naps, Indians, Guardians: how Cleveland got here
Cleveland was one of the American League's original clubs in 1901 and has played in the AL Central since 1994. Early teams were called the Bluebirds and then the Naps, from 1903 to 1914, before a long run as the Indians starting in 1915. In December 2020 the club said it would retire that name after the 2021 season, and it became the Guardians in 2022. The name honors the Guardians of Traffic, eight Art Deco figures carved by Henry Hering in 1932 for the Hope Memorial Bridge. Team colors are navy, red and white, and the mascot is Slider.
- 1920 and 1948: World Series championships; the club also owns six AL pennants.
- April 4, 1994: Jacobs Field opens, replacing Cleveland Stadium, a building the team had shared with the Browns. Fans still call it the Jake.
- June 1995 to April 2001: 455 sellouts in a row, then a major league record, with World Series trips in 1995 and 1997.
- 1997 and 2019: All-Star Games at the park.
- 2008: Progressive Insurance takes the naming rights, a deal extended in April 2024 through at least 2036.
- 2016: the World Series comes to Cleveland, against the Chicago Cubs.
- 2025: a division title after climbing out of a large midseason hole.
The park opened with 42,865 seats, reached 45,569 in 2010, then shed seats through renovations in 2015 and 2016 and again in 2024 and 2025. Heritage Park in center field honors the franchise's greats. Schedules are posted on the Guardians website.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best section to see the Guardians dugout?
Sections 160 to 164, which seating guides place directly behind the Guardians dugout. The visitors use the dugout in front of sections 140 to 146.
Is the 500 level at Progressive Field too far away?
Less so than in most ballparks. Progressive Field had the smallest capacity in MLB as of 2025, about 34,820 seats, so the upper deck sits relatively close to the field.
Which rows are covered at Progressive Field?
The back rows of the lower bowl sit under the overhang. In section 142, for example, rows X and higher are covered.
When do gates open at Progressive Field?
As of 2026, one hour before first pitch Sunday through Thursday, 90 minutes early on spring and September weekends, and two hours early on summer Fridays and Saturdays. Check the team's guide before you go.
Can I bring a cooler to a Guardians game?
Hard-sided coolers are prohibited under the 2026 policy. Small bags up to 16 by 16 by 8 inches are allowed, along with diaper and medical bags.
Where does the Guardians name come from?
From the Guardians of Traffic, eight Art Deco sculptures from 1932 on Cleveland's Hope Memorial Bridge. The club adopted the name in 2022.