Tuesday’s walk-off win over the Kansas City Royals left an impression on more than just the fans who braved 33-degree temperatures at Progressive Field. The morning after, the conversation on 92.3 The Fan turned to a question that is harder to answer than it might seem.
Was Tuesday’s win the best of the season so far?
Ken Carman thinks it might be.
“To go from dry, hot weather, to freezing cold 33 degrees, I think that’s a huge test for Gavin Williams to pitch as well as he did. For everyone to play as well as they did, do I dare say best win of the year so far?” Carman said on the Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima.
"Him hitting 25 home runs and staying healthy, yes that's a successful season… The only hesitation at all to completely wrap your arms around him as exciting as he's been, is the injuries."
⚾@SportsBoyTony to @KenCarman on what would be a successful season for Chase DeLauter pic.twitter.com/KXhkmpARKo
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) April 6, 2026
It is a fair question. The wins against the Dodgers came at the very start of the season, with the opening weekend energy of everyone. Tuesday was different. The weather was brutal. The lineup was shorthanded without Gabriel Arias. A rookie was making his major league debut. The bullpen was being asked to protect a 1-1 tie deep into the game against a Kansas City team that had just beaten Cleveland the night before.
And yet the Guardians found a way.
Gavin Williams set the tone by going out in conditions that had no business producing quality pitching and delivering exactly that. Williams allowed just one run across five and two-thirds innings while striking out eight, becoming the first Cleveland starter this season to allow two hits or fewer in each of his first three outings.
Then there was Juan Brito, stepping into his first major league game with the weight of replacing an injured starter on his shoulders, collecting his first career hit on a double to left field and going 2-4 in a walk-off victory.
Brayan Rocchio delivered the winning hit. The bullpen held when it needed to. The whole thing came together in a way that felt bigger than just two runs on the scoreboard.
Whether it ranks as the best win of the season is something that will get debated as the months go on and the wins accumulate. What is not up for debate is that Cleveland passed a meaningful test on Tuesday.
That is the kind of win that builds something over the course of a long season.
NEXT: Guardians Are Winning Despite One Major Issue
