Gavin Williams has spent the 2026 season looking like one of Cleveland’s biggest arms, and now he’s carrying that form into October. The Guardians right-hander has been a difference-maker all postseason, and on Wednesday he talked about another part of his growth: becoming more comfortable as a vocal presence.
“Definitely being more comfortable a little bit,” Williams told reporters, via Mason Horodyski of News 5 Cleveland. “Through my, I guess first year, year and a half, I had the elbow thing.
Getting called up you don't really want to over-step on anything… Seeing what you should do and what you shouldn't do. I definitely got more comfortable with that throughout the years.”
That confidence has shown up on the mound, too. Williams last pitched on Saturday in Cleveland’s American League Division Series clinching win over the Chicago White Sox, and he was brilliant in a 2-0 victory.
He threw 5.2 scoreless innings and punched out 12 hitters in a performance that controlled the game from the start. He also finished out Thursday’s 9-5 win over the White Sox, adding another layer to an already strong postseason run.
Now the Guardians turn to the American League Championship Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, with the series tied 1-1 as it returns to Cleveland. A big outing from Williams would go a long way toward giving the Guards a 2-1 edge, and the kind of momentum that can tilt a series.
Game 3 is set for 1 PM ET on Thursday after being moved up because of expected weather in the area. The game had originally been scheduled to start at 6 PM ET.
In Other News...
Guardians' Most Painful Trade Looks Even Worse After New Report
The 2021 swap that sent Junior Caminero from Cleveland to Tampa Bay has long lingered as one of the organizations toughest second guesses, and fresh reporting only adds another layer to the regret. The Guardians moved the then-rising prospect for pitcher Tobias Myers, a deal made with the hope of solving a pitching need while parting with a young hitter who was still far from the majors.
Now the sting is not just what Cleveland gave up, but how close the Rays came to asking for something else from the system before settling on Caminero. Xzavion Curry was among the minor leaguers Tampa Bay initially sought, and the fact that Caminero has developed into a top prospect while Myers and Curry have had quieter big league careers makes the trade look even harder to defend in hindsight. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Schedule Change Created An Unusual MLB Playoff Ripple
MLBs postseason calendar picked up an odd little domino effect Wednesday, with the league moving Game 4 of the NLCS between the Dodgers and Brewers up an hour to 8 p.m. ET. The change did not come out of nowhere. It followed the earlier decision to shift ALCS Game 3 between the Guardians and Rays from 6 p.m. ET to 1 p.m. ET because of expected inclement weather, a reminder of how one playoff adjustment can ripple across the rest of the bracket.
For Cleveland fans, the practical part is simple: the team confirmed that tickets and parking passes will still work for the new start time. The bigger picture is a postseason schedule that can still bend quickly around weather, TV and the rest of the leagues needs, even as the Guardians try to stay focused on the field rather than the clock. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Return Home With Their Biggest ALCS Opportunity Yet
The American League Championship Series now shifts to Progressive Field with the Guardians and Rays tied 1-1 after a split of the first two games. For Cleveland, the move home brings a chance to turn a balanced matchup into a real edge, with three straight games in front of their own fans and the opportunity to put pressure back on Tampa Bay.
Gavin Williams is lined up to start the next game for Cleveland, adding another layer of intrigue as the Guardians try to take control on familiar turf. Winning at least two of the three in Cleveland would give them a significant advantage in the series, and the coming stretch could end up shaping the direction of their October run. [Read more 🡒]