Cleveland Guardians’ pitching prospect Gavin Williams, who has been sidelined all season due to inflammation in his right elbow, experienced continued discomfort after a recent live-hitting session, according to Mandy Bell of MLB.com. In response, Williams will receive an injection and be shut down for the next seven days before being reevaluated. The Guardians are hopeful that this treatment will be sufficient, but the setback is an ominous development for the prized young right-hander.
Williams, 24, was Cleveland’s first-round pick in 2021 and made his MLB debut in 2023 with much fanfare. Entering last season, he was ranked among the sport’s top 50 prospects, as high as No. 20 on Baseball America’s top 100 list, and he showed why with an outstanding debut effort. In his first 82 MLB innings, spread across 16 starts, the former East Carolina University product posted a strong 3.29 earned run average with a solid 23.5 percent strikeout rate. Williams’ 10.7 percent walk rate was higher than he and the team would have preferred, but walks were not an issue for him during his 2022 season in the lower minors.
Along with Tanner Bibee and Logan Allen, Williams was part of a group of highly touted prospects who joined the Guardians’ rotation last season. All three top-100 prospects made an impact to varying degrees, but the outlook in Cleveland has changed considerably this season. Shane Bieber’s season is already over after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and Triston McKenzie, who was recommended for rest and rehab late last year due to a ligament injury, has seen a sharp velocity dip and has not looked like himself. Bibee and Allen have also struggled thus far.
The Guardians have been counting on a healthy Williams to return and help fill out a rotation that currently includes Bibee, Allen, McKenzie, journeyman Ben Lively, and veteran Carlos Carrasco, who is back on a reunion tour after signing a minor league deal. Prior to today’s news, it seemed possible that Williams could head out on a rehab assignment in the near future and rejoin the rotation in the middle of next month. However, that timeline has now been scrapped and will depend on how his elbow responds to the injection.
The Cleveland Guardians have a reputation for developing pitching talent, but their ability to do so is being tested at a high level early this season. The team can ill afford another long-term absence for one of their key rotation members. In addition to the injuries to Bieber and Williams and the struggles of the incumbent arms, prospect Daniel Espino has already been lost for the season due to shoulder surgery, his second in as many years. Fellow prospect Joey Cantillo has not pitched yet this season due to a torn hamstring that will sideline him for eight to ten weeks. Right-hander Xzavion Curry is an option in Triple-A, but he is projected to be a swingman or fifth starter.
The Guardians have already added some depth with early acquisitions of righty Zak Kent from the Rangers, Wes Parsons from the Blue Jays, and Pedro Avila from the Padres. Any of these pitchers could be asked to step into the rotation. However, if the Guardians hope to continue their strong start to the season (17-6, +55 run differential), they will need to get their current arms healthy and on track, or they may eventually need to look outside the organization for reinforcements.
