Williams and Jax bring different October workloads to ALCS Game 3

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.

The matchup will also test how much work the starters leave behind. Both clubs had Wednesday off. Cleveland did not use Cade Smith or Hunter Gaddis in Game 2 after both appeared in each of its first six postseason games. Tampa Bay’s Bryan Baker has finished each of the club’s four postseason victories with a save.

The series reaches Cleveland after two different results in St. Petersburg: the Guardians rallied for a 7–3 opening win, then the Rays answered 3–1 behind Freddy Peralta. Neither club has established control of the series.

Thursday’s starting lineups should still be treated as pending until announced. For now, the confirmed contrast is on the mound: Williams follows a heavily used but successful Division Series, while Jax moves from a brief relief appearance into his first playoff start.

Sources

• MLB: ALCS Game 3 pitching and relief availability
• Field Level Media: Williams and Jax prepare for Game 3
• ESPN: Rays–Guardians Game 3

Sources

MLB: ALCS Game 3 pitching and relief availability · Field Level Media: Williams and Jax prepare for Game 3 · ESPN: Rays–Guardians Game 3