Williams records career-high 13 K's in key series opener vs. Jays

CLEVELAND -- As Gavin Williams headed off the field in the seventh inning on Tuesday, he was serenaded by a standing ovation from the Progressive Field faithful. The big right-hander, who has been one of the Majors’ top strikeout artists this season, was in top form once again.

It’s nights such as this one that remind us what Williams is capable of when he is at his best.

“Being the best starter in the league,” Guardians catcher and batterymate Patrick Bailey said. “No doubt about it.”

Williams set a new career high with 13 strikeouts on Tuesday, to lead the Guardians to a 6-1 win over the Blue Jays in the opener of a key three-game series. Over seven innings, he allowed just one unearned run on two hits, one walk and one hit batter, while throwing just 97 pitches (including 64 strikes) in the masterful performance.

Williams became the first Cleveland pitcher with 13-plus strikeouts in a starts since Triston McKenzie (also 13) on Sept. 21, 2022. The outing also marked Williams’ 10th this season with 10-plus strikeouts, which is tied for the MLB lead with the Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski.

Bailey, Angel Genao and Angel Martínez each belted a two-run homer to power the Guardians offensively.

This was an ideal way for the Guardians to open September. Cleveland (70-68) maintained its grip on the third American League Wild Card spot while also taking care of business against a team that is vying to knock it off its perch. The Blue Jays (68-71) were one of three teams that entered Tuesday within 1 1/2 games of the Guardians in the Wild Card race.

While the Guardians have their sights set on catching the AL Central-leading White Sox (who held a three-game lead entering Tuesday) over the next four weeks, games like this will help Cleveland’s cause on all fronts.

Coming off one of his worst starts this season, Williams paved the way, just as the Guardians will need him to do as they push for a spot in the postseason.

“We knew he was going to come out with a little chip after his last one, but I don't think we could have asked for that,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “Absolutely lights out [performance by] Gavin.”

Williams tossed the third-shortest start of his career last time out, last Tuesday against the Angels. He lasted just 1 1/3 innings and was charged with five runs on six hits, which included two home runs. What's more, Williams had what he described as a "brutal" pregame bullpen session before his outing vs. the Blue Jays.

“You don't always have your best stuff in the pregame ‘pens,” Williams said. “But when there's somebody in the box, things change. If you would have seen it before the game, you would have had somebody [warming] up in the first inning.”

Things clicked by first pitch. Williams struck out Brett Bateman and Alejandro Kirk to begin the game. The lone run he allowed came in the fifth. Kazuma Okamoto hit a leadoff single, advanced to third on an Ernie Clement walk and corresponding Bailey throwing error, and scored on a wild pitch.

The Blue Jays entered with the second-fewest strikeouts (990) in the Majors this season. Williams still shut them down, all while he did not have his best sweeper -- which was his most-used pitch through his first 27 starts this season (28.5 percent usage). He threw it just 18 times (19 percent) against the Jays.

“He definitely got stronger as the night went on,” Vogt said. “But he was throwing strikes. I think when we've seen Gavin [at his best], he's pitching in good counts, getting ahead, staying ahead, putting people away.”

Williams is the fourth Cleveland pitcher in the Divisional Era (since 1969) with 10 starts with double-digit strikeouts in a season, joining Trevor Bauer (2018), Corey Kluber (’14, ’17) and Sam McDowell (1969 and ’70). He now has 14 such starts in his career.

Williams also is up to 217 strikeouts in 28 starts this season. He has a chance to join Bob Feller (1940, ’41 and ’46), Herb Score (’56), McDowell (’65, ’68, ’69, ’70), Luis Tiant (’68), Kluber (2014 and ’17) and Shane Bieber (’19) as the only Cleveland pitchers with 250 strikeouts in a season.

That personal achievement could be one feather in Williams’ cap this season, along with a postseason run. The Guardians have work to do to get there, and they will need Williams at his best to do so this month.

So far, so good.

“Every game is important,” Williams said. “We’re not looking too much ahead of what's going on. But [by] just staying present in what we're doing, everything's going to work out the way it needs to.”