Cleveland Guardians Wild Card Playoff starting pitchers revealed

Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt has announced his starting rotation for the American League Wild Card series against Detroit.

The Guardians manager has pegged Gavin Williams to make the Game 1 start, Tanner Bibee to pitch Game 2 and Slade Cecconi should a deciding Game 3 be played Thursday in Cleveland. While Williams and Bibee were shoe-ins to start Games 1 & 2 in either order, Cecconi beat out Joey Cantillo and Parker Messick for the Game 3 honor.

While some would say Jose Ramirez is the “Tiger King," it would be hard to argue that Gavin Williams isn’t neck and neck with him. Williams has made three starts against Detroit this season and is 2-0 with a 1.06 ERA and 29 strikeouts. In July, Williams struck a no-decision against the Tigers but struck out eight batters, allowed four base runners, and zero earned runs. Williams was money making two do-or-die starts against the Tigers in September.

Williams has allowed just eleven baserunners in eleven innings against Detroit this month. Across those two starts? 11 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 4 BB, 21 Ks. How good is Williams against the Tigers? Good enough to match how well Tarik Skubal pitches against the Guardians.

Skubal has allowed just two earned runs across 28 innings against the Guardians this year, but his September line of 12 IP, 2 ER, 11 H, 5 BB, 7 Ks versus Cleveland pales in comparison to what Williams has done this month. Williams last outing of the season, which came against Detroit, ended with 12 strikeouts and two earned runs- that’ll play, even against Skubal.

Bibee, who is 3-0 in three starts against Detroit this year, has thrown twelve autumn innings vs. the Tigers and has allowed just two earned runs while striking out 13 batters. Bibee’s September 18th start at Comerica Park was dazzling, as he struck out eight batters, allowed one run, and kept the Guardians in a stalemate against Skubal.

Cecconi struggled in his final start of the season. However, he has made a quality start both times out against Detroit this season. Multiple factors may have contributed to Cecconi getting the Game 3 nod. Spencer Torkelson, the Tigers best hitter, is well above average against right handed pitching, but certainly not the world-beating masher that he is against left handed pitching.

With all three of the Guardians' other options being lefties, Vogt’s plan may be an effort to neutralize Detroit’s best weapon. Logan Allen was always going to be the odd man out, which Vogt made clear by starting him Sunday. Messick struggled against Detroit last week which may have pushed his playoff debut to the ALDS. 

Cantillo would have made a very interesting Game 3 starter. Cantillo, who has more experience coming out of the bullpen may be more versatile in terms of being sent back and forth from the rotation to the pen, which could have factored into the decision.

Tim Herrin has left some to be desired as the bullpen’s second southpaw, meaning that Cantillo could be used as a long reliever or high leverage option in the opening series. While starting Cantillo would have given Torkelson a matchup advantage and allowed Hinch to deploy Andy Ibanez and Jahmai Jones, it also would have removed Kerry Carpenter from Detroit’s lineup.

Williams takes the bump at 1:08 tomorrow afternoon to kickstart the AL Wild Card series.