The Cleveland Guardians wouldn’t be where they are this season — playoff-bound — without Gavin Williams.
But when the Guardians officially clinched their postseason spot with a win on Thursday night at Fenway Park over the Boston Red Sox, Williams wasn’t there to take part in the celebrations.
The Guardians took part in the traditional champagne-laden party in the visiting clubhouse after the game.
Williams wasn’t even in the same time zone.
Where Was Gavin Williams?
Williams was already in Kansas City.
That’s where the Guardians are playing their final three games of the regular season, and Cleveland’s staff thought ahead.
With Williams starting on Friday, the Guardians didn’t leave anything to chance. They flew him to Kansas City early so he could get a solid slumber.
This is how The Athletic’s Zack Meisel described this part of the celebration in his article after Thursday’s game:
“They guzzled Miller Lites, puffed cigars, posed for pictures and shouted until they went hoarse. They held up Gavin Williams’ nameplate and FaceTimed him into the bedlam, since he had flown to Kansas City on Thursday afternoon to get a full night’s rest before his start Friday.”
It’s certainly a smart tactic by Cleveland.
Williams has been fantastic this season, posting a 14-8 record with a 3.63 ERA in 31 starts. He has struck out an American League-best 244 batters, at a rate of 12.1 per nine innings.
He’s exactly the guy you want on the mound in a big game, and even after the playoff berth was clinched, this weekend series in Kansas City still matters.
What Matters in Guardians-Royals Series
The Guardians enter Friday’s action with a one-game lead on the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central Division.
Both teams have already clinched a playoff spot, but the division title is still up for grabs.
And in this case, the division title is a big one — it comes with a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The top-two records among division winners get a bye, and the AL West Division’s winner won’t finish with as good a record as either Cleveland or Chicago. That means that whichever of the AL Central teams finishes atop the division will get a pass through the Wild Card Round straight to the Division Series.
The Guardians can’t afford to slip up even with their one-game lead, because the White Sox hold the tiebreaker after winning the season series 7-6.
If Chicago and Cleveland end up with the same record, the White Sox take the division crown.
That’s why the Guardians won’t be resting on their laurels against the Royals. They need Williams at his best, and the rest of the roster, too — these are still huge games. Essentially, if Cleveland plays well enough this weekend, it’s as if they’ve already won a playoff series.
Guardians’ Gavin Williams Wasn’t With Team For Playoff Clinching