Analyst compares Guardians’ Gavin Williams Game 4 move to Braves’ Chris Sale decision
In the playoffs, teams that have their backs against the wall couldn’t care less about who will pitch in a potential next game, if they even get to that point. All that matters is sealing the deal and living to fight another day. On Thursday, the Cleveland Guardians, despite being up by four runs in the bottom of the ninth, elected to send Gavin […] The post Analyst compares Guardians’ Gavin…
The Cleveland Guardians faced a crucial decision in Game 4 of their playoff series against the Atlanta Braves. With a four-run lead in the bottom of the ninth, they opted to send Gavin Williams, their starting pitcher for Game 5, to the mound to relieve closer Cade Smith, who was having trouble. Smith's struggles allowed Miguel Vargas to hit a leadoff home run and Munetaka Murakami to reach base via a walk.
Instead of taking a risk, manager Stephen Vogt made the bold move to send Williams to close out the game. Williams followed through on the gamble, and despite allowing a single to the first batter he faced, he went on to get three consecutive outs, securing a 9-5 victory for the Guardians and advancing the series to a decisive Game 5.
This risky decision drew comparisons to the Atlanta Braves' choice of closing out Game 3 of the NL Wild Card series with Chris Sale, which delayed his start in the NLDS and may have affected his performance. Former White Sox catcher AJ Pierzynski likened the Guardians' gambit to the Braves' move, acknowledging that it is a bigger deal than initially perceived.
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