Gavin Williams has been one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball this October, and now the numbers are putting him alongside some of the greatest names the sport has ever seen. The Cleveland Guardians right hander struck out nine more batters on Thursday in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series, helping the Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 and take a 2-1 lead in the series. That performance pushed his career postseason strikeout total into territory very few pitchers have ever reached this early in their October careers.
Williams has been striking out opponents at a historic rate since the playoffs began, and the list of pitchers ahead of him is a short one.
“Gavin Williams has 44 strikeouts in the first 5 starts of his postseason career,” OptaSTATS posted.
Gavin Williams has 44 strikeouts in the first 5 starts of his postseason career (dating back to 2024).
The only pitchers in MLB history with more Ks through 5 career postseason starts are Sandy Koufax (48) and Bob Gibson (47). pic.twitter.com/Lr0PCJP3nQ
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) October 15, 2026
According to OptaSTATS, only two pitchers in major league history recorded more strikeouts through their first five career postseason starts. Sandy Koufax had 48, and Bob Gibson had 47. Both are Hall of Famers, and both are remembered as two of the most overpowering October pitchers to ever take the mound. Koufax struck out fifteen Yankees in Game 1 of the 1963 World Series, while Gibson set a World Series record with seventeen strikeouts against Detroit in Game 1 of the 1968 Fall Classic.
Williams now sits right behind them. His first two postseason starts came before this season, and he struck out twelve batters across those outings. This October, he has taken his game to another level.
All told, Williams has struck out 33 batters in 16 2/3 innings this October, including his one inning of relief in Game 4 against Chicago. That works out to nearly two strikeouts per inning against playoff lineups. It is a fitting follow up to a regular season in which he led the American League with 248 strikeouts.
What makes the comparison to Koufax and Gibson even more impressive is the era. Hitters today are bigger and stronger than ever, and lineups are built to grind out at bats and work counts. Williams has still found a way to dominate them on the biggest stage.
The Guardians are now two wins away from their first World Series trip since 2016. If Cleveland needs Williams again later in this series, he will have a chance to keep climbing a list filled with legends.
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