Gavin Williams continues to set the table for bounceback 2025 campaign

Don't look now, but Gavin Williams looks more than ready for the regular season to begin. The Cleveland Guardians' starter continues to dazzle during spring training in Goodyear, Arizona, with his dominant performances on the mound taking center stage.

Williams has struck out 16 batters in 8.0 innings while allowing just one run on five hits and two walks across three spring training starts. While this is only spring training, and none of this truly counts, seeing Williams locked in on the mound and commanding his pitch arsenal in this manner bodes well for his future and could very well result in a recent prediction about this upcoming season coming to fruition.

There has never been any doubting Williams' stuff, as he possesses a desirable pitch mix in addition to a delivery that features a release point that is incredibly close to opposing hitters. This makes it increasingly difficult to gauge what pitch has been thrown and how much time they have to react to it.

Another reason to be encouraged by Williams' performance in spring training is how last season played out. Williams was sidelined with an injury last year that resulted in him being sidelined until early July. Upon his return to Cleveland's rotation, Williams struggled, posting a 4.86 ERA and 1.368 WHIP in 16 starts. This was a noticeable step back from his 2023 performance, as his ERA (3.29) and WHIP (1.256) in the same amount of starts were clearly better than his second season in the majors.

Even though it is important to prioritize process over results in spring training, that method of evaluation takes a backseat when it comes to someone like Williams. The 25-year-old has shown that he has put what transpired last season behind him and is ready to be part of a formidable duo atop Cleveland's rotation alongside Tanner Bibee. If that turns out to be the case, there is no telling how far the Guardians can go in 2025.