Gavin Williams is stepping onto the mound for the Cleveland Guardians tonight, Saturday, October 10, 2026, to start the decisive Game 5 of the American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox, just two days after he closed out Game 4 in relief. This move is straight-up wild, and it puts their entire season on the line.
The Stakes Couldn’t Be Higher For This Rare Play
Tonight’s Game 5 at Progressive Field is winner-take-all. The team that comes out on top gets to advance to the ALCS and face the Tampa Bay Rays, while the loser just packs up their lockers and calls it a season. No wonder the White Sox are rolling out their top regular season starting pitcher, right-hander Sean Burke, to try and get it done. But the Guardians are countering with Williams, who straight-up led the entire American League with 248 strikeouts during the regular season. Guardians manager Stephen Vogt’s choice of Williams is understandable, especially since standout rookie Parker Messick just pitched in Game 4. But Williams himself just recorded the final out of that Game 4 elimination win in Chicago. Sarah Langs dropped a stat bomb on Bluesky: Williams is about to become only the sixth pitcher since 1945 to record the last out of one game and then start the very next game in the same postseason series. That’s how rare this is.
What History Tells Us About This Kind of Move
So, who’s Williams joining in this exclusive club? It’s a short, interesting list:
* Jesse Chavez, Braves (2021 NLCS, Games 3-4): 16 pitches in relief, 0 days rest, then 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H in the start.
* Brad Peacock, Astros (2019 ALCS, Games 5-6): 21 pitches in relief, 0 days rest, then 1 ⅔ IP, 1 R, 2 H in the start.
* Miguel Batista, Diamondbacks (2001 NLDS, Games 1-2): 12 pitches in relief, 1 day rest, then 6 IP, 2 R, 3 H in the start.
* Bob Turley, Yankees (1957 WS, Games 5-6): 11 pitches in relief, 1 day rest, then 9 IP, 2 R, 4 H in the start.
* Hank Borowy, Cubs (1945 WS, Games 6-7): N/A pitches in relief, 1 day rest, then 0 IP, 3 R, 3 H in the start.
Look, a couple of those starts are from the literal Stone Age of baseball, and the two most recent ones with Chavez and Peacock were basically “opener” gigs. That leaves Miguel Batista’s 2001 NLDS start as the only one that’s even remotely relevant for Williams. Batista threw 12 pitches in relief, got one day of rest, and then went six innings, racking up four strikeouts against no walks. Williams, coming off 18 pitches in relief, has one day less rest than Batista did. Guardians manager Stephen Vogt is clearly hoping Williams can give them some real length tonight. While an early hook is always on the table in an elimination game, especially with the bullpen having had an off day, Williams should get at least one, maybe two, trips through the White Sox lineup. The single inning of work in Game 4 isn’t expected to be an issue, especially since he was slated for a bullpen session on Thursday anyway.
Tonight, it’s all on the line at Progressive Field. Every pitch Williams throws is going to be under a microscope. Can he deliver length? Can he navigate the White Sox lineup after such a quick turnaround? We’re about to find out if this historic gamble pays off and sends the Guardians to the ALCS against the Rays, or if their season ends right here.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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