Guardians' Gavin Williams joins Kluber, Sabathia in Cleveland baseball history

The young right-hander put on a dominant performance against the Dodgers.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 4:06am

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Cleveland Guardians pitcher Gavin Williams had a historic outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers, striking out 10 batters over 7 innings and allowing just 2 hits in a 4-1 victory. Williams joined former Guardians aces Corey Kluber and C.C. Sabathia as the only Cleveland pitchers to record double-digit strikeouts in a game against the Dodgers.

Why it matters

Williams' performance continues the Guardians' strong start to the season and cements his status as one of the team's top young pitching talents, following in the footsteps of Cleveland greats like Kluber and Sabathia.

The details

In his second start of the season, the 24-year-old Williams was nearly unhittable, allowing just 2 hits and 3 walks while racking up 10 strikeouts over 7 dominant innings. The win helped the Guardians take the series against the Dodgers, one of the National League's top teams.

  • On April 2, 2026, Gavin Williams had his historic performance against the Dodgers.

The players

Gavin Williams

A 24-year-old right-handed pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians who is emerging as one of the team's top young talents.

Corey Kluber

A former star pitcher for the Guardians who is considered one of the best players in franchise history.

C.C. Sabathia

Another former Guardians ace who is a Cleveland baseball legend and a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

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What they’re saying

“Gavin Williams is the third Cleveland pitcher in club history to strike out 10+ Dodgers. Kluber and Sabathia also did it.”

— Al Pawlowski, Guardians TV host

The takeaway

Gavin Williams' dominant performance against the Dodgers cements his status as one of the Guardians' top young pitching talents, joining the ranks of Cleveland greats like Corey Kluber and C.C. Sabathia who have achieved similar feats against the Dodgers.