Williams (16 K's in 8 IP) continues to dazzle at Guards camp

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Spring Training statistics can only reveal so much, and they aren¡¯t a perfectly reliable method to predict regular season outcomes. But it¡¯s also hard to ignore the numbers right-hander Gavin Williams has put up while passing the eye test in Cactus League play.

¡°The Gavin that's been throwing this Spring Training is the Gavin that everyone in this organization has been raving about,¡± Guardians associate manager Craig Albernaz said.

And that could mean big things for Cleveland¡¯s starting rotation this season. Williams has been dominant this spring, if not a closer reflection of the guy who recorded a 3.29 ERA in 16 starts as a rookie (2023).

Williams struggled and dealt with injury in ¡®24. He made two Cactus League starts before being shut down due to right elbow inflammation and recorded a 4.86 ERA in 16 starts after making his season debut on July 3.

He¡¯s struck out 16 batters in eight innings over three starts this spring, including seven in 3 2/3 scoreless innings Sunday vs. the White Sox, a game Cleveland went on to win 1-0.

Again, it¡¯s only Spring Training. But the Guardians see the difference in Williams.

¡°He was just playing catch-up the whole year [in 2024],¡± Albernaz said. ¡°But to see him this year attack the goals that the pitching group had for him and go out there and implement it, it's awesome to see. I think his fastball has as much life as it ever has. The slider looks great, curveball. He's pounding the strike zone.¡±

It¡¯s all an exciting proposition for the Guardians¡¯ rotation. Williams returning to his 2023 form would add more certainty to a staff led by Tanner Bibee and offer it a surefire No. 2 starter.

Williams¡¯ four-seamer has stood out in his three starts this spring after he and the Guardians emphasized it in his offseason work. He said this week that it played more like a sinker last season rather than playing up in the zone.

¡°It's all about Gavin¡¯s fastball,¡± manager Stephen Vogt said. ¡°That was the big improvement that he worked on all winter and is still continuing to work on all spring.¡±

¡°[The movement is] coming back to where it was when I got drafted [in 2021],¡± Williams said. ¡°If it can stay in that same spot, I think I¡¯ll have a good year.¡±

Walters toes the rubber

Andrew Walters has made one Cactus League appearance this spring, on Feb. 24. The right-hander dealt with some right shoulder stiffness after that outing, and the Guardians opted to play things safe.

Walters has resumed throwing, including a 25-pitch bullpen on Sunday with his full arsenal. He said afterward that he¡¯s feeling good.

¡°Just a little minor inconvenience, but I¡¯m ready to get back out there on the field,¡± Walters said.

Walters made his MLB debut on Sept. 12 last season and didn¡¯t allow an earned run in nine regular-season appearances. He expressed confidence that he has enough time to prepare for the start of the season.

¡°Oh yeah, absolutely,¡± he said. ¡°This is my first Major League Spring Training, so I¡¯m still trying to feel it out. I¡¯ve got a lot of resources, so I¡¯m feeling pretty confident that timeline-wise we¡¯ll be ready to rock and roll.¡±

Junis debuts

The Guardians took things slow with Jakob Junis after signing him to a one-year deal on Feb. 16, and he also was pushed back a few days after falling under the weather. The 32-year-old made his Cactus League debut on Sunday and threw a scoreless sixth inning with one strikeout.

Junis is an intriguing addition to Cleveland¡¯s pitching staff as a versatile arm Vogt can deploy in multiple ways. In eight seasons, Junis has made 192 appearances, including 116 starts. In 2024, he recorded a 2.69 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP in 24 games (six starts) with the Brewers and Reds.

¡°I've done it the last couple years where I'm in the bullpen and can give one inning, two innings, three innings,¡± Junis said. ¡°And then if things go haywire, I can start and fill that role too. At this point in my career, I¡¯ve done a little bit of everything. ¡­ Just hoping I can bring experience and that versatility to the team and just plug in the gaps for these guys.¡±