The Guardians are rolling the dice with Gavin Williams in Game 3 of the ALCS against Tampa Bay on Thursday. Williams just threw 210 pitches across six days against the White Sox in the earlier round. He's getting the ball despite the heavy workload, which tells you Cleveland believes he can deliver when it matters most in October.
This is a gutsy call. Starting a pitcher on short rest after that kind of pitch count is not standard. But the Guardians face elimination pressure, and Williams earned the trust by performing when it counted. The Rays will counter with their own ace, and this matchup could decide whether Cleveland stays alive in the series.
Williams doesn't have the name recognition of some playoff starters, but he's been exactly what the Guardians needed down the stretch. Now he has to prove he can do it again with tired legs and a mound in Tampa Bay.