Dodgers' offense stifled by Gavin Williams, Guardians

The right-hander strikes out 10 in seven scoreless innings as Cleveland hands the Dodgers a 4-1 defeat.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 3:06am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Dodgers' offense was held in check by Cleveland Guardians pitcher Gavin Williams, who struck out 10 batters over seven scoreless innings in a 4-1 victory. The reigning World Series champions scored just seven total runs in the three-game series against the Guardians.

Why it matters

The Dodgers' struggles at the plate against the Guardians come after they had to rally from 2-0 deficits in all three games of their season-opening series sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The inability to generate consistent offense against Cleveland raises early-season questions about the Dodgers' lineup and their ability to repeat as champions.

The details

Gavin Williams, the Guardians' right-hander, put on an impressive performance, striking out 10 batters over seven scoreless innings. The former first-round draft pick has now recorded five career games with double-digit strikeouts. Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages had three hits, but the rest of the lineup, including stars like Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Tucker, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman, combined to go just 1-for-14. Freddie Freeman's ninth-inning home run prevented the Dodgers from being shut out.

  • The Dodgers scored just seven total runs in the three-game series against the Guardians.
  • Gavin Williams struck out 10 batters over seven scoreless innings.

The players

Gavin Williams

A right-handed pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians, who struck out 10 batters over seven scoreless innings in the win over the Dodgers.

Andy Pages

A Dodgers outfielder who had three hits in the game, but the rest of the Dodgers' lineup struggled.

Freddie Freeman

The Dodgers' star first baseman, who hit a solo home run in the ninth inning to prevent the shutout.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“That's fantastic. I'm very honored. These guys are three great men. They're all different. But this is just a special time in Major League Baseball, certainly with the Japanese players that we're fortunate to have, and players around the league of all nationalities. But yeah, it's an honor to know that I manage these three guys.”

— Dave Roberts, Dodgers Manager

The takeaway

The Dodgers' inability to generate consistent offense against the Guardians, despite their early-season success, raises questions about the team's lineup and their ability to repeat as World Series champions. The performance of Gavin Williams and the Guardians' pitching staff exposed some early-season vulnerabilities in the Dodgers' lineup that the team will need to address moving forward.