Guardians X-factor that means everything for do-or-die Game 5 vs. White Sox
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The playoffs is not the time for making conservative plays; at least that’s what the Cleveland Guardians must have been thinking. After all, they headed to the road in the ALDS against the Chicago White Sox down 2-0 and had to win at all costs to keep their season alive — even at the cost of their pitching staff’s freshness.
In Game 4, the Guardians had to send out Gavin Williams, their starter for Game 5 and one of their best pitchers, to close things out — having him throw 18 pitches to send the series to a do-or-die contest with a 9-5 victory. Before Williams, it looks as though the heavy workload was getting to their best reliever in Cade Smith, who’s pitched in all four games of the ALDS thus far. Smith allowed a home run and a walk during his last time out on the mound, which necessitated Williams’ relief appearance.
As pointed out by Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the pitch count for the Guardians’ hurlers are undoubtedly going to play a part in Game 5 — being a major X-factor that could prove to be the difference between a trip to St. Petersburg for Game 1 of the ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays and an early exit from the postseason.
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Smith has thrown 67 pitches in this series, including 31 in Game 4. Will he be fresh enough to come in relief yet again in Game 5? Foster Griffin, who will be available off the pen in Game 5, threw 53 pitches back on Wednesday in Game 3.
Will Parker Messick, the Guardians’ starter who struggled in Game 4, be available just in case the team needs him to? Or has Cleveland burnt their pitchers out enough just to survive?
Only time will tell whether or not Stephen Vogt made the right decisions. But one thing’s for sure: he prioritized the Guardians’ survival, and they’re still alive and kicking, which means that their gambit, up until this point, has worked.
Related: Analyst compares Guardians’ Gavin Williams Game 4 move to Braves’ Chris Sale decision
Related: Why all White Sox’s Will Venable, Guardians’ Stephen Vogt can do is ‘laugh’ at back-and-forth ALDS