The Cleveland Guardians have an off-day on Friday, and it’s much needed.
They’ve been using their top pitchers for hefty workloads, and with a win-or-go-home ALDS Game 5 on Saturday night, a bit of rest is appreciated.
They’ll be back home in Cleveland on Saturday night, as well, always a bonus — and it’ll be one of those all-hands-on-deck nights with the pitching.
The biggest question marks will likely be Gavin Williams, Cade Smith, Foster Griffin, Tanner Bibee and Parker Messick.
So let’s break it down.
Is Gavin Williams Pitching Game 5?
The Guardians’ plan all along has been to start Williams in Game 5 of the ALDS if they could win back-to-back games in Chicago to get it there, and that doesn’t appear to have changed.
Williams came in to close out Game 4, but it was on the same day that he would’ve otherwise thrown his bullpen side session.
Yes, the intensities of those outings isn’t the same, but the overall pitch load might not be that different.
Williams could have less in the tank on Saturday, but that won’t stop the Guardians from giving him the start.
He threw 18 pitches (12 strikes) to get a strikeout, groundout and lineout out of the bullpen on Thursday.
And when Saturday’s game gets underway, Williams should be on the mound.
Cade Smith
Smith has been throwing a ton out of the Cleveland bullpen, in a way they rarely used him in the regular season.
Friday’s off-day is crucial for him. It’ll allow recovery after a multi-inning outing that still didn’t get to the finish line on Thursday.
If the Guardians have the lead Saturday, it wouldn’t be shocking for Smith to come in as early as the seventh, or at least the eighth. He’ll need all the rest he can get.
Foster Griffin
Griffin was brilliant for the Guardians out of the bullpen on Wednesday, following the opener Daniel Espino.
Cleveland may not need the same length out of Griffin on Saturday, but it makes sense that he’d be available.
He threw 53 pitches on Wednesday and will be throwing on two days of rest. During the regular season, a starting pitcher wouldn’t generally throw in a game by Saturday, but it’s the playoffs. Griffin will surely be available.
Tanner Bibee
The Guardians used Bibee out of the bullpen on Thursday, his first outing of the playoffs.
With a day of rest, the usual starter should be good to go in relief if needed on Saturday.
Parker Messick
How about the ace?
He threw 65 pitches on Thursday. With only one day of rest, Messick throwing on Saturday would probably be a last resort.
But pitchers this time of year often show up in the manager’s office and make sure they know they’re available.
It wouldn’t be shocking if Messick at least tried to throw his hat into the ring to prolong the season.
Guardians’ Gavin Williams, Cade Smith, Foster Griffin Availability for ALDS Game 5 Revealed