Gavin Williams legitimatizes Guardians’ postseason aspirations with strong start against Athletics 

While Guardians pitcher Gavin Williams isn’t going to win this year’s American League Cy Young, his start against the Athletics on Sunday showed why he’s as dangerous as any pitcher in the Junior Circuit as we head into the postseason. 

One day after the Guardians’ bullpen had to cover 4+ innings behind a short start from Tanner Bibee, Williams answered the call with seven scoreless innings in Cleveland’s 1-0 win while also racking up nine strikeouts. 

That strikeout total may not be the biggest of his career, but it gave him 244 strikeouts, which now leads the American League lead.

Again, it’s not going to be enough for him to rip the Cy Young away from the Yankees’ Cam Schlittler, but Williams’ growth this season has shown why he and Parker Messick are the perfect 1-2 punch atop the Guardians’ rotation. 

Gavin Williams has it all clicking at the perfect time

Although Williams’ strong outing came against an A’s lineup that pales in comparison to what the Guardians’ could face in the postseason, it was clear that his stuff could play against pretty much any hitter in baseball. He had an eye-popping 14 whiffs with his sweeper along with having three with his curveball and four with his fastball. 

He allowed just four baserunners and surrendered just two balls in play with an exit velocity greater than 100 miles per hour.

The biggest step in the right direction has been Williams’ limiting of free passes. Last year he led the American League in walks allowed (83) while having a walk rate in the seventh percentile. He’s only allowed 57 free passes this year. 

Although it may seem like he’s taken a step back this year since his ERA is nearly 60 points higher than last season, there’s more to that story. For one, he’s been able to cut down his walk rate, as mentioned above. 

He also has thrown nearly 14 more innings last year despite having the same number of starts (with one more to go). There’s also his huge jump in strikeouts (244 this year compared to 173 last year). 

His ERA hovered around four for most of the summer as he worked through some changes and tweaks, but he’s gotten better as the season has gone on and now has a 1.44 ERA in 25 innings this September. 

It wasn’t the prettiest journey, but Williams is peaking at the right time, which is all you can ask for. 

If the Guardians stick to their normal pitching plan then Williams’ final start of the season should come against the Royals in the penultimate game of the season, but today’s off-day means they have some wiggle room to tweak and adjust things if needed. 

But regardless of when Williams takes the ball again, it’s clear that he’s ready to be their ace this October. 

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