The Cleveland Guardians have announced Gavin Williams as their starting pitcher for Game 1 of the AL Wildcard series against the Detroit Tigers, which is set to begin today at 1:08 PM at Progressive Field, as reported by Cleveland19.
Williams' selection as the starter comes on the back of a transformative season for the right-hander, who finished the regular season with a 12-5 record and a solid 3.06 ERA, including striking out 12 in his most recent outing against the Tigers on September 23, this information comes via News 5 Cleveland, his season featured marked improvements following a difficult 2024 season where he went 3-10 with a 4.66 ERA after starting the year on the injured list due to a sore right elbow.
According to a Cleveland interview, Williams has undergone various changes to his approach this year, including a modified delivery and the implementation of dry needling, a muscle pain and fatigue treatment that has been part of his routine after conversations with the Guardians' pitching consultant Corey Kluber.
Despite having a significant aversion to needles, which makes him "start sweating really, really bad," Williams has embraced the process, stating, "I don’t like needles," said Williams, "I really can’t look at it. I start sweating really, really bad. Even when I walk into the room, I can’t look at the needles. I have to cover my face, or I start sweating really bad." These developments have contributed to his successful turnaround, making him a reliable option for Game 1, as per Cleveland.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt expressed confidence in their young pitcher: "Gavin has been incredible," Vogt told Cleveland19, praising his progress throughout the year, "From the start of the year to now, he’s just been incredible [and] incredibly fun to watch," a testament to the pitcher's resilience and adaptation throughout the season.
