Three Observations From Guardians Loss To White Sox, 8-2

Gavin Williams made his long-awaited season debut, but the Chicago White Sox shut down the Cleveland Guardians.

Jul 3, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) reaches for the ball as Chicago White Sox third baseman Lenyn Sosa (50) slide to second base on a double in the fourth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago White Sox continue to be a problem for the Cleveland Guardians. On Wednesday evening, Chicago tied up their latest series against Cleveland with an 8-2 win over the Guardians.

Here are three observations and takeaways from Cleveland’s loss.

Gavin Williams’ Season Debut

It sure was nice to see Gavin Williams back on the mound after missing the first half of the season.

Williams only pitched 4.0 innings and gave up five earned runs, but his stuff was much better than what the final stat line says. His fastball velocity topped out at 98.9 mph, and its average was 96.8 mph throughout the night. Williams only threw his curveball 10 times but got three swings and misses

Check out a more or more in-depth look at Williams’ start here.

Brayan Rocchio Shows Some Pop

Brayan Rocchio’s lack of power and offensive production has been disappointing at times this season. Still, he does have moments, such as his one against the White Sox, that shows why the Guardians have been so high on the switch hitter for so many years.

Rocchio smoked a ball over the left field fence in the seventh inning for his third home run of the season. The ball had an exit velocity of 102.6 mph and traveled 369 feet, which would’ve made it a homer in 24 of the 30 ballparks around baseball.

ROCCHIOOOOOOOOO!#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/hrWyZ50Vv3

— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) July 4, 2024

Did Erick Fedde Shut Down His Future Teammates?

Jul 3, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Erick Fedde (20) delivers a pitch in the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

It was hard to watch Erick Fedde pitch without thinking about whether he could eventually be throwing in a Guardians uniform later this season. The veteran pitched 6.0 innings, gave up just three hits, and struck out three as his solid season continued.

A week and a half ago, ESPN’s Jeff Passan identified Fedde as a great fit for the Guardians, and the 31-year-old certainly showed why on Wednesday night.