The Chicago bullpen is the real reason the Sox lead the series. 5 pitchers combined on a 3-hitter in Game 1, and Grant Taylor got the last 12 outs without allowing a run. Cleveland came off its bye flat. It loaded the bases in back-to-back innings and went 0-for-2 in those spots. The open question for Monday is how much of that bullpen is still fresh after Taylor's 4-inning outing, especially if Chicago goes with an opener again.
Both clubs got here hot. Chicago is 4-1 in its last 5 and had won 4 straight as of Game 1. That run included a 2-0 sweep in Houston and a split of its last 2 against Colorado before the ALDS. Cleveland closed the regular season by taking 2 of 3 from Kansas City, which included 12-9 and 11-5 wins. It then lost the finale 3-2 and was shut out in Game 1. The Guardians lineup that put up 23 runs across 2 games in Kansas City scored 0 at home on Saturday.
Cleveland is short a few pieces too. Rhys Hoskins (back) is still on the 10-day IL working through a swing progression. Colin Holderman is headed for season-ending wrist surgery, and Andrew Walters had UCL repair, which takes 2 relievers out of the bullpen. Chicago's list is longer. Joey Bart's hand fracture took a catcher off the roster, and relievers Prelander Berroa, Jordan Leasure and Mike Vasil are all on the 60-day.
The forecast is clear and 59 degrees with 15 mph of wind. That's crisp October baseball at Progressive Field. Williams is exactly the kind of arm that can even a series by himself, and Cleveland needs him to. If Chicago's patchwork pitching holds the Guardians down again, the series heads to the South Side with the White Sox up 2-0.