Guardians Pitcher is Baseball's Best in Electrifying Category

This Cleveland Guardians pitcher is currently leading the MLB in one huge category during Spring Training.

Aug 16, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Gavin Williams (32) delivers a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers in the third inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Guardians had one of the worst starting rotations in baseball last year, but they were able to compensate for it with a historically great bullpen.

However, the Guardians may not be able to get away with that two seasons in a row. They will definitely need more from their pitching staff in 2025, which means that pitchers who struggled last year must step up this spring.

Perhaps one of the most important cogs in Cleveland's rotation is Gavin Williams, who missed half of 2024 with an elbow injury and returned to pitch to the tune of a 4.86 ERA over 16 starts.

The Guardians are expecting much more from the former top prospect this time around, but the good news is that the right-hander has displayed some very positive signs in spring training.

In particular, Williams has been fanning a lot of hitters, logging 16 strikeouts across eight innings. What's more, he owns a swinging strike rate of 27.1 percent, which leads the majors in March.

Gavin Williams leads spring training in SwStr% (30 batters faced minimum - statcast games only)

1. Gavin Williams 27.5%
2. Max Scherzer 20.8%
3. Nick Nastrini 20.1%
4. Brent Headrick 18.3%
5. Nathan Eovaldi 18.0%
6. Tarik Skubal 17.6%
7. Albert Suarez 17.5%
8. Mason Barnett…
— Jon Anderson (@JonPgh) March 10, 2025

How about Guardians legend Carlos Carrasco also being on that list?

Anyway, this is obviously an incredibly minute sample size, but it could bode well for Williams moving forward, and it's important to note that the 25-year-old boasted a high strikeout rate in the minor leagues, something that has not exactly translated to the bigs thus far.

Maybe this is the year that Williams will finally break out? It remains to be seen, but with Shane Bieber still on the shelf while recovering from Tommy John surgery, there is no doubt that Cleveland will need Williams to perform.

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