The Cleveland Guardians failed their first test of the playoffs.
They couldn’t get anything going against Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, and while that may have been the likely result all along, it was still disappointing.
Nevertheless, the Cleveland pitching staff was almost equal to the task.
That’s why Bleacher Report analyst Zachary D. Rymer included it on his list of Game 1 winners.
“The Pitching Did Its Job,” Rymer wrote. “Pitching is what got the Guardians into the postseason. As they were rallying for a 24-8 finish after August 26, their 2.63 ERA was the lowest in MLB. To this end, another win hypothetically should have followed on Tuesday. Led by Gavin Williams and his six innings of eight-strikeout ball, Guardians hurlers allowed zero earned runs and fanned 13 Tigers hitters. If he’d been opposed by literally anyone else besides Tarik Skubal, he might have gotten a win on Tuesday.”
The Guardians’ pitching staff was arguably the most dominant unit in the game during the final stretch of the regular season.
The bullpen is one of the best in baseball, and Williams answered the call as their new ace.
In Game 1, he gave up two runs, but none of them were earned.
He gave up five hits and one walk, and struck out eight in six innings.
Those are excellent numbers for a playoff outing, and Tanner Bibee will look to match them in Game 2.
Things should be a little easier for Guardians hitters against Casey Mize, but the offense needs to do better, and that has been a talking point all season.
But with the way the team is constructed, the Guardians won’t need to score an abundance of runs to get the job done.
They know they can always count on their pitchers to take care of business, and they just need some timely hits.
Manager Stephen Vogt will change the lineup for Game 2, and hopefully, they’ll find more success at the plate.
NEXT: Tigers Manager Has Honest Admission About Playing Guardians
