Gavin Williams has already given Cleveland plenty to remember, but Game 2 of the ALDS gives him a chance to carve out something even bigger.
The Guardians right-hander has built a reputation on the kind of outings that stick in a fan base’s memory: multiple double-digit strikeout games, that near no-hitter against the Mets, and the steady climb into frontline-ace territory. However this postseason run ends for him, those moments have already secured him a place in the conversation around the most memorable arms to come through Cleveland.
Now comes the next step, and it comes with real weight.
Williams is set to start Game 2 against the Chicago White Sox, a matchup that is not technically a must-win but comes awfully close. A loss would leave the Guardians down 2-0 before the series shifts to Chicago, which is about the kind of hole nobody wants to stare into in October.
The workload and the numbers say Williams earned this assignment. He finished the regular season with an American League-leading 248 strikeouts in a career-high 184 1/3 innings, a season that showed both his swing-and-miss stuff and the durability to carry a staff. His ERA ticked up a bit from last year, and he allowed more damage than he did in 2025, but the broader picture still points to a pitcher who has become one of the most feared arms in the league.
This isn’t even new ground for Cleveland. Last season, after his breakout, the Guardians gave Williams the Game 1 start in the Wild Card Series against the Tigers, and he delivered a terrific outing in a loss. This time, the assignment is even more unforgiving.
He’ll face a White Sox club that saw him often during the regular season. Williams made four starts against Chicago, covering 20 1/3 innings, which was his highest total against any single opponent. He struck out at least six in every one of those outings, but the White Sox also tagged him for multiple earned runs each time, and he finished only one of those starts by getting through the fifth inning.
That history makes this a tricky ask, even before you factor in the way the White Sox are swinging it right now. They were rolling in their Wild Card Series win over the Astros, and that momentum showed up again in Game 1 of the ALDS while the Guardians’ offense looked like it hadn’t played in more than a week.
Williams also has to deal with the simple reality of time off. He has had 10 days between starts, and postseason baseball has a way of punishing any hint of rust.
He’s still the better pitcher than White Sox starter Anthony Kay, but October doesn’t always reward the better regular-season profile. It rewards the guy who lands the first punch and keeps landing it.
Williams has gone from one of baseball’s best-kept secrets to a pitcher every staff in the league has to account for. If he turns in the kind of start Cleveland needs later today, it would be another line in a career that’s already getting bigger by the outing.
In Other News...
Guardians Send Clear Message With Urgent Game 2 Lineup Shakeup
The Guardians came into Game 2 against the White Sox with a noticeably different look, making several lineup adjustments that suggested urgency after the opener. Patrick Bailey was behind the plate and Nathaniel Lowe handled first base, while Chase DeLauter and Jo Adell were shifted into different defensive spots as Cleveland also rearranged the batting order.
Chicago answered with changes of its own, inserting Andrew Benintendi, Sam Antonacci and Tristan Peters while moving Kyle Teel up to the No. 2 spot. With both clubs altering the mix on the fly, the second game had the feel of a quick reset, with Cleveland clearly trying to spark something early and keep the series from settling into one team's preferred rhythm. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Suddenly Have A Real First Base Problem
Clevelands run to a third straight AL Central title came with plenty of familiar caveats, but first base has emerged as one of the clearest offseason questions on the roster. Kyle Manzardo looked like part of the answer after his breakout in 2025, only to stumble offensively in 2026 and wind up back in Triple-A. The Guardians responded at the trade deadline by adding Nathaniel Lowe and Jo Adell, a sign they were willing to patch the spot quickly rather than wait for the bats to come around.
Now the bigger issue is what comes next. Manzardos future in Cleveland is uncertain, and prospect Ralphy Velazquez is expected to take over first base, which puts the organization in a position it likely did not expect when the season started. The Guardians have survived roster uncertainty before, but this one has the feel of a move that could reshape how they handle the position for the long haul. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Need Someone Else To Deliver Their Big October Moment
The Guardians had plenty of pitching in place for a familiar playoff script, but the first game of the ALDS turned on the kind of offensive drought that can make even a solid performance feel hollow. Chicagos 3-0 win was driven by Munetaka Murakamis two-run homer, while Cleveland spent the night trying to solve a parade of White Sox arms, including Anthony Kay and Sean Burke, and never found the timely hit it needed.
Clevelands players pointed to the challenge of facing multiple starters in one game, even as they leaned on the comfort of having seen this Chicago pitching staff during the regular season. The bigger issue is less about recognition than execution, because the Guardians now need someone beyond the mound work to supply the defining October swing if they want this series to tilt back their way. [Read more 🡒]