Cleveland Guardians Starting Pitcher Fighting To Find Consistency

Gavin Williams continues to search for a rhythm as the Cleveland Guardians close in on a playoff berth.

Jul 20, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt (12) relieves starting pitcher Gavin Williams (32) during the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Gavin Williams was a bright spot during the Cleveland Guardians'  2023 season. The rookie pitcher (at the time) showed flashes of being an ace and the ability to establish complete command of the strike zone.

However, Williams' sophomore season in the big leagues hasn't been the same story. He's made just 15 starts all season due to an elbow injury he suffered in spring training, and he has a 5.12 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in those appearences.

Stephen Vogt touched on what he's seen from Williams ahead of his start against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday.

"I would say it’s just kind of been erratic. We see it really, really good, and then a couple where it's good, and then one, two where it's not his best. Then it kind of goes back to that and it’s kind of been all over the place," said Vogt

While Vogt was referring to Williams' production start after start, the 24-year-old's appearance on Tuesday was the perfect microcosm for his season thus far.

Williams pitched 5.0 innings and gave up three hits, two earned runs, walked a pair, and struck out six. At face value, it's a solid start, but he could've gotten much deeper in the game if he didn't struggle in the third inning and throw over 25 pitches just to get those three outs.

There was some good to take away from this start, but there were also areas of improvement.

Sep 12, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams (32) catches a ball in the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

Vogt has no concern with how Williams has pitched so far and is confident he'll turn it around. In fact, Cleveland's manager says this inconsistentcy is almost to be anticipated given his delayed start to the season.

"That’s to be expected," continued Vogt. "The kid missed four months and had to ramp up at a rehab assignment, not spring training. Never got to settle in. He's fighting to get back and find his pitches while he's rehabbing. So, he hasn’t gotten comfortable yet."

It's a fair perspective to have. What Vogt details about missing spring training as a pitcher can't be overlooked. Look how long it took San Francisco's Blake Snell to find consistency on the mound after he missed all the action in February and March.

But reality is settling in for the team as the calendar sits in mid-September. Williams is running out of time, and he likely has one more start in the regular season until the coaching staff has to make some tough decisions for the postseason.

Will Williams find a rhythm before the playoffs start? Will he be in the team's postseason rotation?