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Pair of Guardians Pitchers Get Playoff Honors
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- Pair of Guardians Pitchers Get Playoff Honors
Looking back at the 2026 playoffs, the key reason the Cleveland Guardians got so far was their dominant pitching. Now, two of the arms on Cleveland's pitching staff are getting some recognition for their production.
Gavin Williams
Gavin Williams was one of five starting pitchers who made MLB's All-Postseason team . This is a well-deserved honor, and it would have been even more shocking if Williams wasn't on this list.
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The Guardians' pitcher made franchise history during his playoff run and carried Cleveland through the ALDS.
Williams made three starts in the postseason and pitched 15.2 innings in those appearances. He ended up with a 2.30 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP in those outings.
The Guardians then called on Williams to come out of the bullpen for the first time in his career to close out Game 4 against the Chicago White Sox, and he did it flawlessly.
The big narrative surrounding Williams, though, was how he was virtually untouchable in the playoffs, literally. The Guardians starter led all postseason pitchers with 33 strikeouts. The next closest pitcher was Drew Rasmussen, who had 31 in five starts throughout October. That ended up being 12 more innings than Williams pitched
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All things considered, Williams' punchout performance in the playoffs is something that may never be seen again, and he's deserving of honors for it.
Oct 15, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Cade Smith (36) throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays during the eighth inning in game three of the ALCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Cade Smith
The second pitcher to be named to MLB's All-Postseason team is closer Cade Smith. He was one of just two pitchers to be given the honor; the other went to World Series champion closer Aaron Ashby.
Smith was arguably the best relief pitcher in baseball during the regular season, and that continued on during the playoffs.
The Guardians called on Cade Smith a lot during the playoffs, and his heavy usage was a running theme. Still, Cleveland's top bullpen arm did not disappoint. He pitched to a 2.38 ERA and a 0.53 WHIP. Two of the runs he gave up uncharacteristically came via the long ball.
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Compared to the rest of the relief pitchers in October, Cade's 14 strikeouts were the third-most in the playoffs. His 11.1 innings pitched were also the third-most of any relief pitcher in the postseason.
Other Guardians Offseason News:
The Guardians made their first roster moves of the new league year on Friday afternoon. Cleveland declined the mutual option on Shawn Armstrong, declined the team option on Trevor Stephan, and added prospect Milan Tolentino to the 40-man roster.
