Guardians Turn to Parker Messick for Game 1 ALDS, Name Game 2 Starter

The Cleveland Guardians have named Parker Messick the starter for Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox.

And although many speculated the ball would be handed to trusted right-handed pitcher Gavin Williams, Messick earned it.

Parker Messick will start Game 1 of ALDS for the Guardians; Gavin Williams will start Game 2. pic.twitter.com/UbFsDdeMyc
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) October 1, 2026

"He finds a way to get outs because he just pitches, and he's got the ability to do it a number of different ways, & that's really what stood out to me with Parker," manager Stephen Vogt said on Wednesday, Sept. 30. "He just finds a way."

Vogt gave such a review of the rookie lefty after being asked what made Messick's 2026 campaign so special, even with the natural ebbs and flows of a young player's game.

The 25-year-old finished the 2026 campaign with a 2.56 ERA and a 1.063 WHIP across 32 starts. He also tacked on 193 strikeouts, averaging 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings.

His efforts led to an American League All-Star selection.

Heading into the playoffs, he is playing reliable baseball. Posting a 6-4 record, he owns a 2.54 ERA with just 49 hits and 12 walks allowed. If Cleveland can get Messick to continue this momentum into the first game of the ALDS, they will be set up nicely to snag an early advantage in the series.

“I’m honored, blessed,” Messick said about being named the starter for Game 1. “Words can't describe it. It's been an incredible year, from what I thought this year was going to be for me to what it is now."

After Messick gets the nod in the series opener, Cleveland is going to turn to Williams to either keep the momentum moving or steal it back.

“They've been our two best pitchers,” Vogt said Thursday. “They've earned it and then some.”

Williams' numbers may not be as sparkly as Messick's are this season, but he is still one of baseball's most dynamic arms.

The 6-foot-6, 250-pounder sports a 3.76 ERA, 1.112 WHIP and a whopping 248 strikeouts. He led the AL in total K's, finishing second in the league behind Jacob Misiorowski.

Jacob Misiorowski and Gavin Williams racked up the most Ks in baseball this season 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/UfgwpvRTEY
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) September 27, 2026

His ability to gun down batters came from his one-two punch of a sweeper, then a four-seamer, which accounted for 168 combined strikeouts. Throwing his sweeper 851 times, Williams allowed just 31 hits and a .158 batting average against, with 100 strikeouts.

The four-seamer can climb through the zone at nearly 100 mph, registering a season-best 100.8 mph, while the sweeper comes in roughly 10-12 mph slower but takes a completely different path once it approaches the plate, sporting nearly 13 inches of a vertically induced break.

The combination gave him two pitches that look similar out of the hand before arriving in dramatically different locations.

This is why you can't just "lay off" Gavin Williams' Sweeper.

Sweeper (ball) and Two Seamer (backwards K) sequence and overlay.

Hitting is Impossible. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/yV1EGslRta
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 20, 2026

Being able to go straight from Messick to Williams gives the Guardians the perfect opportunity to take an early advantage over the White Sox. Messick will give you the calm, reliable presence on the mound before Williams comes in and lights up the K column in Game 2.

If the Guardians can leave those two home games with a 2-0 record, their sights should be set on an American League Championship Series appearance.

From there, the Guardians have not yet decided who will start Game 3, let alone 4 or 5 if things get dicey.

Messick and the rest of the squad kick things off at 1:00 p.m. EST on Saturday, Oct. 3, from Progressive Field to open up the ALDS.

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