Gavin Williams Downplays Talks of Ace Role With Cleveland Guardians in 2026

From the coaches to the players, everyone in the Cleveland Guardians' clubhouse has one goal in mind: winning a World Series title.

For right-handed pitcher Gavin Williams, that mission isn't dependent on individual accolades or roles, but rather on doing what is needed to help lead the Guardians to that ultimate goal.

As spring training continues to tick on, Williams appeared on the Foul Territory show, being questioned about what the Guardians will look like in 2026. When asked about who the Opening Day starter would be, he was blunt and quick with his response.

"Whoever they want it to be," Williams said. "It doesn't matter who it is. It doesn't matter to me. As long as I pitch."

That type of mentality shows where his headspace is at. For Williams, it isn't about being the shiny object on the mound for the team. He doesn't care what role he plays, as long as the team is getting the best out of whoever's throwing pitches and staying competitive.

"I wanna win games. That's all that matters to me," he continued. "A win is a win to me. It doesn't matter where you pitch as long as you win. "We all have one goal in our minds, and that's to win a World Series.

"It doesn't matter how you get there."

Last season, Williams played his best baseball, tossing a 3.06 ERA and 1.270 WHIP across 167.2 innings of action. He led the team to a 12-5 record when starting and a 3.8 WAR. After such a strong campaign, he's expected to be in Cy Young discussions by the end of 2026.

Gavin Williams doesn't care whether or not he's the Opening Day starter.

"We all have one goal in our minds, and that's to win a World Series. It doesn't matter how you get there." pic.twitter.com/E2qafuQF8o
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) February 18, 2026

The Guardians' Starters in 2026

Heading into a new season, the Guardians are attempting to figure out the starting rotation.

After losing Luis Ortiz mid-season, they turned to a few young prospects to fill in the gaps, one of which was Parker Messick. He looked really good, putting together two under-2.0 ERA games to start his career. Then he suffered a few bumps in the road and started to falter as the season closed.

A lot of the eyes are turned towards him right now, and whether or not he will make the Opening Day roster.

However, outside of him, the rest of the group should be set. That rotation includes Williams, Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen, Joey Cantillo and Slade Cecconi. Bibee was last year's ace, but he took a step back following two previously good years. His job is currently up in the air, with many speculating that Williams might have it locked down.

Unfortunately for those excited to see the two top guys in spring training, Williams and Bibee, they'll have to wait a bit of time. Manager Stephen Vogt confirmed that the two least-polished pitchers, Allen and Cantillo, will be given the first spring training starts.

The first chance to see Allen and Cantillo in action will be on Saturday, Feb. 21, against both the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers. First pitch is set for 3:05 p.m. EST against the Reds and 3:10 p.m. EST against the Brewers.