The Cleveland Guardians learned a lot about themselves last season. They proved they could defy the odds to defend their AL Central crown, but also realized the need to boost their offense to stay competitive.
Yet, the biggest revelation came from their pitching staff. With Shane Bieber sidelined due to Tommy John surgery and then traded to the Toronto Blue Jays, the Guardians needed a new ace. Enter Gavin Williams, who emerged as a surprise leader on the mound.
Pitching coach Carl Willis sees a bright future for Williams in 2026, highlighting his calm demeanor as a key factor. “Gavin has grown tremendously and has become a quiet leader.
He controls his emotions well and remains stoic. There’s still a lot of upside for him,” Willis noted.
Before the 2025 season, Williams had a modest 6-15 career record in 32 starts over his first two MLB seasons. Coming off a 2024 campaign with a 4.86 ERA and just 76 innings in 16 starts, he wasn’t an obvious choice to lead the staff. But he finished last season with a standout 12-5 record, a 3.06 ERA, and 167.2 innings pitched in 31 starts.
Williams shined in the latter part of the season, helping the Guardians overcome a historic deficit in the standings. From August through October, he posted a 6-1 record with an ERA under 2.30.
He nearly pitched a no-hitter against the New York Mets, falling just short in the ninth inning. In the AL Wild Card series, he allowed only two runs over six innings against the Detroit Tigers, though the Guardians lost the series.
As Williams enters the 2026 season, he’s seen as a potential Cy Young Award contender, and his pitching coach believes he’s ready for the challenge.