Guardians Coach Sees Big Upside For Gavin Williams In 2026

The Cleveland Guardians learned a lot about themselves last season. They showed they can defy the longest of odds to defend their AL Central crown, but they also became aware that they are unlikely to be able to do so again without getting better on offense.

Yet, the greatest revelation may have come from their pitching staff. The Guardians discovered an ace who could ascend to the role once occupied by AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber.

With Bieber sidelined by his recovery from Tommy John surgery, and then traded to the Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland needed a No. 1 starter. In one of the biggest surprises of the year, Gavin Williams showed he could be that pitcher.

Now, pitching coach Carl Willis said he sees a big upside for Williams in 2026, based in part on his calm demeanor.

“I think we’ve seen Gavin grow tremendously as well, and become somewhat of a different type of leader, a quiet leader. He controls his emotions very well. He’s very stoic. There’s still a decent amount of upside there for Gavin from what we saw last year,” Willis said.

Heading into 2025, Williams had a 6-15 career record in 32 starts over his first two MLB seasons. The right-hander was coming off a 2024 campaign when he posted a 4.86 ERA and managed to throw just 76.0 innings in 16 starts.

So, he was an extremely unlikely candidate to become the best pitcher on the Guardians’ staff. But that’s what he was, finishing last season with a 12-5 record, a 3.06 ERA, and 167.2 innings pitched in 31 starts.

He was particularly effective down the stretch, as the Guardians overcame a historic deficit in the standings. In August, September, and October, he was 6-1 with an ERA under 2.30.

Starting off that stretch was one of the best-pitched games of the entire MLB season. Williams nearly threw Cleveland’s first no-hitter in more than 40 years, falling just short in the ninth inning against the New York Mets. Later, in the AL Wild Card series, he allowed just two runs over six innings against the Detroit Tigers, though the Guardians lost Game 1 and eventually the series.

Now, Williams is entering the 2026 season as a potential Cy Young Award winner himself, and his pitching coach believes he will be up to that challenge.