Cleveland Guardians closer Cade Smith was extended for 1 2/3 innings of Game 5 of the American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night and came through to get the final five outs of the game in dominant fashion. The intimidating presence on the mound made his way through the end of the game by striking out four of the five White Sox hitters he faced in a perfect 1 2/3 innings. It was the first save of the postseason recorded by Smith, who saved 41 games during the regular season. Smith struck out 107 batters in 74 innings pitched during the year and pitched to a 1.95 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. The imposing right-handed pitcher is a huge weapon for the Guardians to have in the back end of their bullpen, especially when he can be extended to pitch more than one inning in a clutch, tight game.

Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez delivered the clutch hit of Game 5 of the American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night by launching a two-run home run in the fourth inning, providing all the scoring Cleveland would need in the game. Ramirez was 1-for-3 in the game with the homer and a walk. In five postseason games, the talented switch hitter has two homers and seven RBI while hitting 5-for-18 with six runs scored. Ramirez is the bat that helps get the Guardians going in most instances, and this Game 5 was no different as he came up with the clutch blow by taking Chicago pitcher Sean Burke deep.

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams pitched a brilliant game, shutting out the Chicago White Sox in the decisive Game 5 home win on Saturday night in the American League Division Series. The talented right-hander lasted 5 2/3 innings of scoreless ball with 12 strikeouts while giving up just one hit and walking two White Sox hitters. Williams came up clutch in front of his home fans in the biggest game of the series to help Cleveland complete a comeback from a 2-0 deficit in the series. Williams was also good in his last start of the series, when he struck out 11 and gave up two earned runs in his five innings of work. The Guardians bullpen was stellar on Saturday night in keeping the lead that Williams helped stake them to. The next step for Williams in the playoffs is to last longer into the game, but when he is striking out so many batters, his pitch count gets high.

Athletics infielder Max Muncy (knee) will be re-evaluated at some point in the offseason to determine if surgery is required to fix his left-knee chondromalacia, according to MLB.com. Muncy is expected to return for next season, but it is unclear how much time he could miss in the offseason if he is forced to go under the knife. The 24-year-old former 25th overall pick in 2021 played in 82 games for the A's in 2026 in his second year in the majors, slashing .230/.296/.387 with a .682 OPS, nine home runs, 30 RBI, 31 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 284 plate appearances. Muncy had nine home runs and 23 RBI in 63 games across 220 plate appearances in his first taste of big-league pitching in 2025 as a rookie. If Muncy does have surgery, it is expected to be a minimally invasive procedure, which means he should be ready well before the start of spring training in early 2027. Muncy's power from the right side is intriguing, but he must earn more playing time going into his third year in the Show.