The Cleveland Guardians officially flipped the script on Saturday and completed their comeback from down 0-2 in the ALDS to get past the Chicago White Sox and set up a date with the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALCS. It’s the second time in three years the Guardians have advanced to the ALCS, and the team and the fans are hoping this trip goes much better than the 2024 run went.
Saturday’s 2-0 couldn’t have happened without the heroic performance of Gavin Williams, who twirled a gem and struck out 12 while surrendering just one hit over 5.2 scoreless innings just two days after closing out Game 4 with a scoreless ninth inning. It was the kind of performance fans have grown to expect from their young ace, and combined with his two previous appearances in this series, he was able to cement himself in the record books.
Sarah Langs of MLB.com pointed out that Williams’ 24 strikeouts in the ALDS are the second-most in a five-game playoff series in MLB history, trailing only Gerrit Cole in the 2019 ALDS.
“Gavin Williams has 24 strikeouts this ALDS, the second-most in a best-of-5 postseason series, behind: 2019 ALDS Gerrit Cole: 25,” Langs said.
Gavin Williams has 24 strikeouts this ALDS, the second-most in a best-of-5 postseason series, behind:
2019 ALDS Gerrit Cole: 25 https://t.co/PNyN3HMXOG
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 11, 2026
The Guardians and White Sox approached this series from completely different perspectives when it comes to pitching. The Guardians went into the ALDS with one of the most consistent starting rotations in baseball as they mostly relied on six starters all year, whereas the White Sox seemed as if they were just throwing whoever they could find out there for a few innings at a time.
Chicago’s luck ran out and the Guardians finally saw superstar Jose Ramirez wake up over the past three games. Ramirez delivered huge hits in Games 3-5, culminating with the two-run homer in Game.5 that netted the only two runs of the ballgame.
Ramirez was the obvious hero for the offense on Saturday, but Williams’ dominating performance after closing out Game 4 was sensational. Cleveland will need him at that level against the Rays in order to take down the American League’s top seed and make its way to the World Series.
NEXT: Guardians Did Something In Game 5 No Team Ever Has
