Gavin Williams is making his first start since falling off the mound against the very same Twins back in late August.
A lot of questions will be asked about what went wrong in 2023 for the Guardians and one theory will be the losing record in the AL Central Division. The Guardians are currently 21-24 heading into Wednesday’s game.
According to ESPN stats and information, the Guardians’ chances are down to 1% of making the playoffs in 2023. Hug that one percent tight.
The Cleveland Guardians find themselves at a critical juncture, with this series possibly representing their last chance to contend for the AL Central Division title this season. In their recent matchups, the Guardians secured victories in two out of three games against the Twins last week in Minnesota, followed by another two out of three wins against the previously dominant Rays over the weekend. Unfortunately, the first two games of this series may have signaled the end of their bid to catch up with the Twins in the AL Central Division race. In the opening game, the Guardians suffered a resounding 20-6 defeat, surrendering 20 hits to the Twins. On Tuesday night, the Twins continued their dominance, defeating the Guardians 8-3.
In the series finale against the Twins, the Guardians will turn to their rookie sensation, Gavin Williams. Williams has a season record of 1-5 in 13 starts, which includes two quality starts. Over the course of the season, he has allowed 56 hits in 65 innings pitched, maintaining an ERA of 3.46. His strikeout rate stands at 9.4 per nine innings, and he boasts a WHIP of 1.28. However, Williams has struggled in his recent five starts, going 0-2 with an ERA of 3.63. During this period, he allowed 20 hits in 22.1 innings while striking out 31 batters. When pitching at home this season, Williams holds a record of 1-3 in eight starts, maintaining a 4.29 ERA and tallying 42 strikeouts in 42 innings pitched.
This week, the Twins arrive in Cleveland with the goal of extending their lead over the Guardians in the race for the AL Central Division championship. Last week in Minnesota, the Twins faced the Guardians, losing two out of three games. However, they quickly rebounded over the weekend in Texas, winning two out of three against the Rangers. On Sunday, they came close to completing a sweep but were ultimately defeated by a walk-off home run.
In the current series, the Twins have displayed dominance, securing a 20-6 victory on Monday night and following it up with an 8-3 win on Tuesday. This performance has widened their lead to seven games in the division.
For the series finale on Wednesday, the Twins will call upon Joe Ryan. After a recent return from the Injured List, Ryan holds a record of 10-8 in 24 starts, with 13 quality starts to his name. Throughout the season, he has allowed 126 hits in 137 innings pitched, maintaining an impressive 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings and a 1.12 WHIP. Ryan’s ERA currently stands at 4.20.
Although he faced some struggles before his IL stint, Ryan has made a strong comeback in his two starts since returning. In his first outing, he pitched five innings, allowing five hits and one run while striking out seven batters. His last start was even more impressive, as he went six innings, gave up only three hits and one run, and struck out seven batters without issuing a walk.
In his two starts against the Guardians this season, Ryan holds a 0-2 record, surrendering 10 hits over 12.2 innings pitched and allowing four earned runs. However, he has maintained a solid 2.84 ERA in those two outings.
Despite having a decent ERA and a solid hits-to-innings pitched ratio, Williams has faced a string of tough luck in the current season as a pitcher for the Guardians. One of his primary challenges has been his inability to pitch deep into games. Out of his 13 starts this season, he has managed only two quality starts, often relying heavily on the Guardians’ bullpen for support.
On the other hand, the Twins’ starting pitcher, Ryan, has notched ten quality starts throughout the season, including an impressive outing in just his second start since returning from the IL. Despite losing both of his previous encounters with the Guardians this year, Ryan has maintained an ERA under three in those two starts. However, it’s worth noting that he hasn’t been able to rack up his usual strikeout numbers against the Guardians, with just eight strikeouts across both games.
In this crucial matchup, my inclination is to favor Ryan due to his ability to pitch deeper into games compared to Williams. Ryan’s performance should enable the Twins to rely on their bullpen to close out the contest. With a win on Wednesday, Minnesota and Ryan have a chance to secure a series sweep, and I believe they have what it takes to accomplish this feat.
Our Pick: Take Twins and the Money Line
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