CINCINNATI -- If any game epitomizes the state of the Guardians with six days until the Trade Deadline, it occurred Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park.
Starter Gavin Williams struck out a career-high-tying 12 batters over seven innings while allowing just two runs on three hits and one walk. The Guardians still lost to the Reds, 2-0, while tallying just three hits against five pitchers as Cincinnati threw a bullpen game.
Cleveland earned a doubleheader split after winning Game 1, 6-5, to snap a five-game losing streak.
“Just another unbelievable start,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said of Williams’ fourth consecutive outing with at least 11 strikeouts. “He’s just put together masterpieces.”
Williams has been stellar lately. But it hasn’t been enough for a Guardians offense that has struggled and is at center stage before the Deadline. Cleveland’s lineup is in clear need of reinforcement as the Guardians (55-54, 1 1/2 games behind the AL Central-leading White Sox) push to win their third consecutive division title.
Williams’ past four starts have been a microcosm of the Guardians’ problems offensively. The club has gone 1-3 despite the big right-hander making all sorts of history.
• Williams has struck out 10-plus batters and issued no more than one walk in each of his past four outings. That’s the second-longest such streak since at least 1900, behind Chris Sale in 2018 (five).
• Tuesday was the fifth time a Cleveland pitcher has struck out 10-plus hitters in four straight starts in a single season, following Corey Kluber in 2017 (five starts, twice), Shane Bieber in ‘21 (four) and Trevor Bauer in ‘18 (four).
• Since 1900, there have been just 23 other instances in which a player struck out 11-plus batters in four consecutive starts. That list includes Sandy Koufax (twice in 1965), Randy Johnson (1994, ‘98, ‘99, 2000, 01, ‘02 and ‘04) and Pedro Martinez (‘97, ‘99, ‘99 and ‘01).
Williams was asked postgame Tuesday whether he values the strikeout or walk totals most.
“If I'm being honest, I like wins. That's the main thing I want,” Williams said. “I'm just trying to put the team in the best possible situation to win.”
While he’s done his part, the Guardians' offense has scored five, one, one and zero runs, respectively, in his past four outings. Those struggles are not limited to when Williams is on the mound. Cleveland ranks near the bottom of MLB in myriad key offensive categories this season.
Entering Tuesday, the Guardians ranked 29th in runs per game (3.93). They were tied with the Mariners for 23rd in on-base percentage (.309) and ranked last in slugging percentage (.371). Cleveland sat 29th in MLB in OPS with runners in scoring position (.676). They went 0-for-7 in that scenario Tuesday night.
The Guardians have a slew of up-and-coming players who have shown flashes this season while experiencing growing pains. The latter can only cover for so much of the struggles, because the lineup was constructed this way by design.
Cleveland made minimal additions to a group that struggled in 2025, instead opting to give runway to the young talent in the organization. We’ve seen that decision bear fruit with the positive development of guys such as Chase DeLauter, Brayan Rocchio and Travis Bazzana. But as the Deadline looms, there are enough data points showing this group could use some help.
The Guardians have gone 1-6 over their past seven games while scoring one or zero runs four times. That includes a weekend sweep at the hands of the American League-leading Rays, when they scored three runs total. It also includes Tuesday night against a Cincinnati team teetering on selling next week.
José Ramírez and Angel Martínez each came off the injured list last week after missing more than one month. They should help the offense’s production over the season’s final two months. An external reinforcement will only help further.
The American League’s compact postseason picture could have a lot to say about what happens league-wide at the Deadline. It figures to be a seller’s market. The Guardians have a healthy farm system, however, and if there is a move that could help this season and beyond, this may be as good a time as any to take that swing.
For now, those already on the roster remain optimistic about being close to turning a corner.
“We're so close,” outfielder Steven Kwan said after Tuesday’s loss. “We're right there. We’ve just got to keep going. We got the runners in scoring position. We're just not cashing them in, but getting the guys in scoring position is the hard part. So I think we're going to start clicking. The balls are going to start falling, as well.”