After finishing Game 4 of the American League Division Series on the mound, Cleveland Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams will get the ball to start Game 5 on Saturday, manager Stephen Vogt announced.
Williams, 27, thew 18 pitches in relief of Cade Smith on Thursday as the Chicago White Sox were mounting a comeback against the Guardians' closer. But Williams was able to secure the victory, forcing a winner-take-all game.
"We're hoping [Thursday] acts as a higher intensity bullpen," Vogt said Friday of Williams' Game 4 outing. "So Gavin is ready to go tomorrow. Feels good today. So we will obviously see how he's doing tomorrow."
Williams started Game 2 of the series, throwing 98 pitches over five innings. He will be opposed by Chicago right-hander Sean Burke, who would have entered Game 4 if his team had tied the game in the ninth inning. Burke also appeared in Game 2, pitching 5⅓ innings after the White Sox used an opener.
That won't be the case in Game 5. It's Burke's ball to start the night.
"We talked a little bit about some of the exposure to different parts of the lineup that are a factor," manager Will Venable said. "Just kind of looking at who we have and who we're going to use tomorrow and how we can transition from one guy to the other."
Both bullpens are taxed. Smith pitched in Games 3 and 4 despite the Guardians holding big leads in both contests. He struggled in his fourth inning over the two days, prompting questions about his usage.
"If anybody thinks it's easy, go ahead," Vogt said with a smirk. "It's really difficult.
"I think when you're playing a team that's got the offensive power that they do and as you're managing a bullpen, you always go to worst-case scenario in your head. ... We all put our heads together, and all signs pointed to let's put Cade in this thing and let's stop it right here."
It didn't work, and now Smith's availability for Game 5 is in question. He has appeared in every game of the series, though off-days have helped in his recovery.
"We're going to talk to him tomorrow and see how he feels," Vogt said. "I don't know if it's something that we can push to a ton of pitches tomorrow."
The White Sox might be in a similar position with right-hander Grant Taylor after he was tagged for four runs without recording an out in Game 4. He has thrown 67 pitches in three ALDS outings.
Scoring has increased throughout the series as hitters on both teams are facing tired arms with increased familiarity. The winner will take on the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL Championship Series, which begins Monday.
"At the end of the day, Game 5, deciding game here of a series, it's going to be all hands on deck," Venable said. "You kind of throw out the window, previous usage. You obviously want to be in tune with the guys and how they're feeling, but I think Stephen would say the same thing. We're going for it here."