Guardians notes: Cleveland sets wild card rotation; Gavin Williams vs. Tarik Skubal in Game 1

CLEVELAND — The Guardians have set their rotation for the Wild Card Series, beginning with right-hander Gavin Williams in Game 1 at Progressive Field on Tuesday. Right-hander Tanner Bibee is the scheduled starter for Game 2 on Wednesday, followed by righty Slade Cecconi in a potential series-deciding Game 3 on Thursday. The Tigers have only named Game 1 starter Tarik Skubal, but right-handers Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize are the likely candidates for the other two games. "It kind of keeps them in order and gives us the opportunity to keep them on as regular a schedule as possible, and all three of them have pitched very, very well," manager Stephen Vogt said Monday of his three starters. Williams (12-5, 3.06 ERA, 31 starts) replaces Bibee to open the postseason after pitching out of the bullpen last year in the Division Series against Detroit and ALCS against the Yankees. "Gavin has been incredible," Vogt said. "Obviously we've talked about him all year long, just the strides that he's made, the development that he's come along with. From the start of the year to now, he's just been incredibly fun to watch. "It's a lot of factors. Obviously the way Gavin has been pitching, but also it keeps him in turn and doesn't push or alter his routine by much." Williams relishes the more significant role. "I'm kind of star-struck a little bit, just being able to start a playoff game, it's phenomenal," he said. "Them trusting me to go Game 1, it's unbelievable. I was just lucky last year to be on the playoff roster, but I went into the offseason with one thing on my mind and that was to get better and help out the team in any way I could possibly do this year." All three of Williams' career starts against Detroit came this year, including wins in his last two outings of the regular season. He went 2-0 with a 1.06 ERA, striking out 29 over 17 innings. "I know what they've got, they know what I've got," Williams said. "There's really no advantages or disadvantages." Brothers in arms The friendship between Vogt and Tigers manager A.J. Hinch began at the All-Star Game in Cincinnati in 2015, when Vogt was a player for the A's and Hinch was a coach for the American League. It was there that Hinch suggested Vogt consider coaching or managing when his playing days were over. "A.J., along with a number of other coaches and managers, as I was playing against them would say: 'Hey, you need to stay in the game after you're done. You should keep going. We need more players. We need more people in the game that played it,'" Vogt said. "I actually interviewed with A.J. right when I finished playing for a position on his staff. A.J. has always been great to me. It's a very friendly rivalry. We have a very high level of respect for each other. It's going to be fun." The feeling is mutual. "I've always had a great respect for him and how his mind works, and now we're seeing it play out fully at the highest level as one of the better managers and tougher managers to manage against because he's willing to do anything," Hinch said. "That includes using his gut on when he stays with his pitchers or using the numbers to guide his framework of decision-making." Mind games Hinch isn't concerned his ace Skubal will be affected by pitching at the same place where he hit Cleveland's David Fry in the face in his last outing of the regular season. Skubal was visibly shaken and so concerned that he hitched a ride with Vogt to see Fry in the hospital. "I think Tarik did an incredible job of switching to being a human that night," Hinch said. "He went and visited him in the hospital and was able to connect with him and get some peace that he was going to be OK. Then he's gone about his normal work. "I don't think Tarik will be impacted by much of anything other than the adrenaline he needs to control going into Game 1 of a playoff series, which is something he's done before." Skubal reflected on the moment during the workout at Progressive Field on Monday. "Obviously, I know it's part of the game, but stuff like that is scary, and that's real-life stuff," he said. "People don't think of our sport as a contact or physical sport as you might think, like the NFL, but stuff like that can happen, and it can be life-changing. Luckily, I think it's all been pretty positive for him. The only negative is he can't play right now, and that's something that I feel bad about. "I think that that's just what you're supposed to do in that situation. It felt like that's what I should do, and I'm very thankful I was able to do that and see he's doing all right. I saw a video of him on the field (Sunday) with the guys that made me feel a lot better, too." You complete me Minor league outfielder Chase DeLauter and catcher Dom Nunez are with the Guardians on the taxi squad and are options for spots on the 26-man playoff roster. Rosters must be set by 10 a.m. Tuesday. "We're talking through what we're going to do," Vogt said. "We're still trying to figure out exactly what we want the roster to look like. There's a case to be made for both of them to be active." Contact Chris Assenheimer at (440) 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Like him on Facebook and follow him on X @CAwesomeheimer.