Gavin Williams Poised for Cy Young Contention in 2026

Cleveland Guardians pitcher generating buzz after breakout 2025 season

Apr. 10, 2026 at 3:00pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting Gavin Williams' pitching motion broken down into overlapping planes of navy, green, and orange, capturing the raw energy and athleticism of his delivery.Gavin Williams' explosive pitching style and breakout potential have the Guardians dreaming of Cy Young glory in 2026.Cleveland Today

After a breakout 2025 season, Cleveland Guardians pitcher Gavin Williams is generating buzz as a potential Cy Young contender in 2026. The 24-year-old right-hander had a career-best 3.06 ERA last year and is poised to take another step forward with improved command of his electric stuff.

Why it matters

The Guardians are hoping Williams can solidify their rotation and emerge as an ace-caliber starter, which would be a major boost for their playoff aspirations in 2026. His development is crucial for a team that has struggled to develop homegrown pitching talent in recent years.

The details

Williams unleashed his 96.5 mph fastball and a diverse offspeed arsenal in 2025, leading to a 24.6% strikeout rate. The only thing holding him back was a high 11.8% walk rate, which suggests he has room for further improvement. He came close to throwing a no-hitter against the Mets last August and posted a 2.18 ERA in the second half before a strong playoff outing.

  • In 2025, Williams posted a career-best 3.06 ERA across 167 2/3 innings.
  • Last August, Williams came within two outs of throwing a no-hitter against the Mets.
  • Williams set a new career-high in innings pitched in 2025 after a shoulder injury limited him to just 76 innings in 2024.

The players

Gavin Williams

A 24-year-old right-handed pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians who is generating buzz as a potential Cy Young contender in 2026 after a breakout 2025 season.

Tarik Skubal

The Detroit Tigers pitcher who has won back-to-back American League Cy Young Awards, but could potentially be traded to the National League before the 2026 season.

Tim Stebbins

The Cleveland Guardians beat reporter for MLB.com who predicted that Williams will finish in the top three in Cy Young voting in 2026.

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What they’re saying

“Gavin Williams will finish in the top three in Cy Young voting.”

— Tim Stebbins, Guardians beat reporter

What’s next

If Tarik Skubal is traded to the National League before the 2026 season, the American League Cy Young race could be wide open, potentially giving Gavin Williams an even better chance to contend for the award.

The takeaway

Gavin Williams' emergence as a potential Cy Young contender in 2026 represents a significant development for the Cleveland Guardians, who have struggled to produce homegrown pitching talent in recent years. His continued improvement and ability to solidify the team's rotation could be a major boost to their playoff aspirations.