Gavin Williams returns to the mound on normal rest Thursday, five days after helping pitch Cleveland into the American League Championship Series. Griffin Jax takes a different route into Game 3: his only appearance this postseason has come in relief.
The Guardians and Rays are tied 1–1 entering the first of three scheduled games at Progressive Field. First pitch is 1 p.m. Eastern on TBS and truTV, with HBO Max also carrying the game. MLB moved it earlier because of the Cleveland weather forecast; the pitching matchup gives the afternoon its own significance beyond the schedule change.
Williams recorded 24 strikeouts in 11⅔ innings during the Division Series against the White Sox. He made two starts and an emergency relief appearance, then struck out 12 in the Game 5 clincher. Cleveland now gets him back with a conventional break between outings. Starting Thursday also leaves him lined up for a possible Game 7 on regular rest.
Jax struck out four Yankees in two relief innings on October 7, allowing one run. Tampa Bay used him for 23 regular-season starts as well as 11 relief appearances, so this is a change from his October assignment rather than an unfamiliar role. His task is to give the Rays a useful opening stretch against a lineup he has watched his teammates face twice already.
Local sports radio discussed Tampa Bay’s Game 3 pitching decision Wednesday. The segment below is commentary from WDAE, not an official lineup announcement or a forecast of the result.
