The Cleveland Guardians have been getting a lot of heat – and for good reason – for not reinforcing the rotation with two or more quality arms.
They brought in Alex Cobb, who didn’t have a successful debut this weekend and is more of a complementary piece than the top-of-the-rotation arm Cleveland needed.
Their current group of starters probably take a lot of pride in their role in getting the team where it currently is: first in the AL Central.
They are also aware of the criticism.
For a night, Gavin Williams vindicated the unit and delivered a masterful performance just when his teammates needed him the most.
The Guards had lost seven games in a row and could have lost another game in the AL Central standings with a loss on Saturday, but Williams gave his team six solid innings of one-run ball to lead the way to a 2-1 victory.
The key, for him, was getting ahead in the count with consistency.
“I got ahead early. I didn’t fall behind.” Gavin Williams reflects on the big reason why he was successful Saturday night,” Bally Sports Cleveland tweeted, quoting the talented right-hander whose ERA is now a solid if unspectacular 4.38 ERA.
"I got ahead early. I didn't fall behind."
Gavin Williams reflects on the big reason why he was successful Saturday night.#ForTheLand | @CleGuardians pic.twitter.com/yEdLBIPEWy
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) August 11, 2024
Knowing how good he was last year as a rookie, with a 3.29 ERA, big things are ahead for the now-healthy right-hander.
Without Shane Bieber and with Logan Allen and Triston McKenzie in the minor leagues, Williams’ plate has gotten bigger this year.
The team needs him to perform, and he did just that on Saturday night against a red-hot team.
He even got praise from his manager Stephen Vogt.
“Just the way he walked in, I could tell he was ready. He was special. A really well pitched game,” Bally Sports tweeted with the skipper’s comments.
"Just the way he walked in, I could tell he was ready. He was special. A really well pitched game."
Stephen Vogt saw a look in Gavin Williams from the moment he arrived at the stadium Saturday night.#ForTheLand | @CleGuardians pic.twitter.com/BoGH2UOCVB
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) August 11, 2024
Hopefully for Cleveland, Williams can build on Saturday’s outing and go on a nice run.
His team needs it.
NEXT: Steven Kwan Delivered When His Team Needed Him The Most
