Guardians at Brewers, Game 2: Wednesday, June 17 | 7:40 p.m. ET | American Family Field
The Cleveland Guardians head into the middle game of their three-game road set in Milwaukee riding a wave of adversity. The club will officially be without superstar third baseman José Ramírez for five to seven weeks after the organization confirmed on Tuesday that he underwent successful surgery on his left hamate bone. This Milwaukee trip is Cleveland’s first real test of life without J-Ram — and tonight is a golden opportunity to steal a series win in one of the NL’s toughest parks.
The Brewers took Game 1 on Tuesday, 2-1. The Guardians need a bounce-back performance Wednesday to keep this series alive before Thursday’s finale.
Starting Pitchers
Gavin Williams (CLE) — RHP
Williams takes the ball tonight carrying a 9-3 record, 3.32 ERA and 99 strikeouts on the season. The big right-hander has quietly become one of the best starters in the American League, and the numbers back it up.
- 2026 record: 9-3, 3.32 ERA, 1.10 WHIP
- Consistency: Has pitched at least five innings in all 13 starts, fanning at least six in 10 of those outings.
- BAA: Opponents are hitting just .212 against him through his 13 starts.
- Hot stretch: Since the 2025 All-Star break, Williams has allowed a measly .201 batting average against.
Although Williams struggled in seasons past to keep the walks down, this season he has completely rewritten the narrative — he has already pitched into the seventh inning five times, something he only did four times in all of 2025, showing a drastic flip in his ability to keep pitches in the zone and log deep outings. Tonight, he’s the best arm Cleveland has, and he’s pitching like an ace.
Brandon Sproat (MIL) — RHP
Sproat came to Milwaukee in January when the Mets traded him and Jett Williams to the Brewers in exchange for Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers. The 25-year-old has been a rough ride for Brewers fans all season long.
- 2026 record: 1-4, 5.70 ERA, 1.48 WHIP
- K:BB: 57 strikeouts vs. 30 walks across 13 appearances (11 starts).
- Recent struggles: This past outing was just his second quality start of the year; he had given up at least three runs in each of his previous five starts.
- Arsenal: Leans on a mid-90s sinker, plus sweeper, plus changeup and an above-average curveball.
The Guardians definitely look to be getting a break in this projected pitching matchup — now it’s about whether advance scouting can help them adjust to a starter they haven’t seen much of. Cleveland’s lineup needs to be aggressive early against Sproat, who tends to leave pitches over the heart of the plate when command deserts him.
Scouting the Brewers
Milwaukee sits at 44-26, five games ahead of the second-place Cardinals in the NL Central and currently holds the No. 3 seed in the league, trailing only the Braves and Dodgers. This is a legitimate powerhouse.
The Brewers carry a +112 run differential — second-best in MLB behind the Dodgers — rank third in wRC+, third in starting pitcher ERA and eighth in bullpen ERA. In short: they beat you every way possible.
At the plate, Milwaukee is led by Andrew Vaughn (172 wRC+), Jackson Chourio (161 wRC+), Jake Bauers (148 wRC+), Gary Sanchez (139 wRC+), Brice Turang (134 wRC+), Christian Yelich (116 wRC+), Garrett Mitchell (114 wRC+) and William Contreras (113 wRC+). That is a terrifying lineup top to bottom — Williams will need his best stuff.
Series Context
This three-game set in Milwaukee (June 16-18) is part of the Guardians’ longest road trip of the season — a nine-game swing against the Brewers, Astros and White Sox. How Cleveland navigates this stretch without Ramírez will define the first half of their season.
The Guardians, at 39-34, are in a tight race in the AL Central after losing their best player to a hamate bone fracture. Every game on this road trip carries extra weight.
Cleveland had their best month of the season in May, going 18-11, but June has been their worst stretch, with the club going just 5-6 so far this month. A win tonight would go a long way toward steadying the ship.
3 Players to Watch
1. Gavin Williams, SP
As outlined above, Williams is the story tonight. As Williams cements himself as a top-end starter, the Guardians are getting the kind of impact that proves what can happen when a budget ballclub nails its first-round Draft pick. A strong outing from the 26-year-old could set the tone for the entire road trip.
2. Travis Bazzana, 2B
It’s been their prized prospect who has stolen the spotlight in recent weeks — second baseman and former first-overall pick Travis Bazzana has taken the league by storm in his debut campaign. Among AL second basemen with at least 150 plate appearances in 2026, only five hitters — including Bazzana — hold a wRC+ above 110. With Ramírez gone, Cleveland desperately needs Bazzana’s on-base skills at the top of the order.
3. Brayan Rocchio, SS
Rocchio is carrying a 113 wRC+ and is one of the healthiest bats currently in the Cleveland lineup. With Ramírez off the diamond, Cleveland will have to lean on youngsters like Rocchio to fill the void. His switch-hitting versatility against right-hander Sproat makes him a key matchup to watch tonight.
The Bottom Line
This is exactly the kind of game the Guardians need to win. Gavin Williams is one of the hottest pitchers in the AL, and he’s drawing a Brewers rookie starter who has given up at least three earned runs in five of his last six outings. Cleveland is one of just three teams in the American League with a winning road record, and that toughness will be tested on this long trip. The Guardians have won 58.1% of games as underdogs this season — so don’t count them out even in American Family Field. For the Land, let’s get one tonight.
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