Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt announced that right-hander Gavin Williams will start Game 5 of the American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. Williams, 27, finished Game 4 on the mound after throwing 18 pitches in relief of closer Cade Smith on Thursday, when Chicago mounted a comeback. He secured the victory, forcing a winner-take-all game.
Williams started Game 2 of the series, throwing 98 pitches over five innings. He will be opposed by Chicago right-hander Sean Burke, who pitched 5⅓ innings in Game 2 after the White Sox used an opener. Chicago manager Will Venable said the team is weighing how to transition between pitchers, with both bullpens taxed.
Smith has appeared in every game of the series, pitching in Games 3 and 4 despite large Guardians leads. He struggled in the fourth inning of both outings, and his availability for Game 5 is in question. Vogt said the team will check on him Saturday and that he is not sure Smith can be pushed to many pitches. The White Sox face a similar concern with right-hander Grant Taylor, who was tagged for four runs without recording an out in Game 4 after throwing 67 pitches in three ALDS outings.
Scoring has increased throughout the series as hitters face tired arms. The winner of Game 5 will face the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL Championship Series, which begins Monday. Venable said both managers will use all available pitchers, setting aside previous usage, because the game decides the series.
Source: ESPN MLB · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing