Gavin Williams will take the ball for the Cleveland Guardians in the decisive Game 5 of their American League Division Series on Saturday at 8 p.m.
Williams Shifts From Relief Back to Starter Role
Manager Stephen Vogt confirmed the pitching assignment after Williams stepped out of the bullpen on Thursday night to protect a late lead and lock down the win that leveled the series at two games apiece. Williams threw 18 pitches in relief of Cade Smith to prevent any comeback by the White Sox as the Guardians secured a 9-5 victory. “Gavin is ready to go tomorrow, he feels good today,” Vogt told reporters. “We are obviously going to look at how he feels tomorrow.” Williams previously started Game 2 of the series, throwing 98 pitches across five innings before exiting the mound.
Sean Burke Draws the Start for Chicago
The White Sox will counter with Sean Burke in the winner-take-all showdown. Burke also saw action during Game 2, working 5 and 1/3 innings after Chicago deployed an opener. This time, the right-hander will take the ball from the very first pitch. Both teams enter the elimination game with taxed bullpens. Cleveland reliever Cade Smith has pitched in both Game 3 and Game 4, while Chicago’s Grant Taylor has already accumulated 67 pitches across three relief appearances since the series began.
Tampa Bay Awaits the Winner in the ALCS
The victor of Saturday’s deciding contest will immediately advance to the American League Championship Series to face the Tampa Bay Rays, while the loser’s season ends. The Rays earned a prolonged rest by sweeping the New York Yankees in their own Division Series, meaning Tampa Bay will have played only three games in 14 days when the ALCS begins on Monday at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay finished the regular season with 98 wins and held a 5-1 head-to-head record against Cleveland alongside a 4-2 mark against Chicago. During their sweep of New York, the Rays received home runs from Victor Mesa and Ryan Vilade—a duo that totaled just 25 home runs combined during the regular season. The Yankees opened the calendar with a massive payroll compared to a much smaller one for the Rays, a disparity that did not concern Tampa Bay. Nous en avons fait abstraction et pour cela, je lève mon chapeau bien haut à nos joueurs,
manager Kevin Cash said.
