The Guardians’ playoff push is still very much alive, but the individual honor chatter around Cleveland is pretty thin. At 59-63, they’re 4.0 games out in the AL Central and 1.5 games back in the Wild Card race, so the focus is on the standings, not trophy cases.
Still, if one Guardian is going to sneak into the awards conversation, Gavin Williams is the name to watch. Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report pegged Williams as a “dark horse” AL Cy Young candidate, and even framed him as the most likely Cleveland player to bring home an award this season.
Williams has put together a strong year overall, posting a 3.55 ERA with an 11-6 record and 2.8 bWAR. He’s also been rolling lately. Over his last four starts, he owns a 1.42 ERA and a 40-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 25.1 innings, which is exactly the kind of late surge that can force a pitcher into the edge of the conversation.
The problem is the mountain in front of him. New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler sits at a 2.21 ERA with 4.9 bWAR and a 10-6 record, while Toronto Blue Jays righty Dylan Cease has a 2.40 ERA, 4.8 bWAR and a 7-5 mark. Williams is clearly trailing both right now.
For Williams to actually make this thing interesting, he’d need those two to stumble while he keeps dealing the way he has over his recent stretch. That’s a narrow road, no doubt. But it’s there.
So yes, it would take a lot to turn the “dark horse” label into an actual Cy Young run. Even so, Williams remains the Guardians’ best shot at an award, and there’s at least a small path for the 27-year-old right-hander to pull off a major upset over Cease and Schlittler.
In Other News...
Guardians May Be Headed For A Payroll Shift Fans Never Expected
With the current MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement set to expire after the season, the league and the players union are headed into another tense round of negotiations, and the biggest fight is already clear. Owners want a salary floor, while the MLBPA is pushing back hard against any form of cap, setting up a labor battle that could reshape how teams spend across the sport. For clubs that have long lived with tighter budgets, the stakes are especially high.
If the union winds up accepting a framework closer to the NFLs recent deal, teams such as the Guardians could find themselves under pressure to raise payroll in ways fans have not always expected. That could mean committing more money to contract extensions or making roster moves with spending in mind, a shift that would be a notable departure for a franchise that has often been built around restraint and efficiency rather than big-ticket financial commitments. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Suddenly Have A First Base Decision Fans Will Watch Closely
Clevelands willingness to keep turning to young talent has already been a big part of this season, with 10 players getting promoted to make their MLB debuts, including infielder Angel Genao and second baseman Travis Bazzana, who has already broken through as an AL All-Star. That track record matters now because the Guardians are again staring at a spot where they may want to see what another prospect can do, and first base has become one of the more interesting places on the roster to watch.
Nathaniel Lowe arrived to steady the position after Kyle Manzardo struggled enough to be sent back to Triple-A, but the long-term picture is still unsettled. Ralphy Velazquez, the organizations No. 2 prospect, has put together a strong stretch at Triple-A and could be in line for his first big-league look when rosters expand in September, which would give Cleveland another chance to sort out what it really has at first base. [Read more 🡒]
Daniel Espinos Guardians Absence Suddenly Feels More Complicated
Daniel Espinos first six major league outings earlier this season hinted at why the Guardians have continued to keep such a close eye on him. The fastball velocity has been there, the slider has still played, and for a while it looked like he might be pushing his way into the conversation for a bigger role before long.
August has complicated that picture a bit. His effectiveness has dipped, the strikeout rate has come down, and Cleveland also has reason to be careful with his workload after he has already piled up more innings than he has in a year since 2021, which helps explain why he is still working in Triple-A instead of the big league bullpen. [Read more 🡒]