AL DIVISION SERIES: WHITE SOX VS GUARDIANS

October 2, 2026

Parker Messick

Progressive Field

Cleveland Guardians

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. (Off mic)

A. Yeah. Generally all my strengths. Like I always do, I think each starts different. I've been known to use a different sequences of pitches pretty much every team I face, and the White Sox included. Just be dependent upon their lineup and what's working for me that day.

Q. There's a lot of young talent here, a lot of rookies, Travis, he came up in April and especially how he was swinging down the stretch.

A. Yeah. He was an absolute jump start to our team at that time, and his energy day in and day out was exactly what we needed at that time, and he came in swinging a hot bat. And actually took him a couple of bats there to get his first one and then after that, he just took off, and he's just a ball of energy for our team when we need it most every single day. It's going to be fun to watch him in the playoffs.

Q. Parker, when do you know if you have it or not?

A. I think that's something progressive throughout the game where you're starting to see what the other team's plan is. For me, it's the ability for me to adjust to what I know are the right pitches to throw.

When I know I can lean on my strengths and also attack with some different pitches, that's when I know it's a good day. There's no real specific inning. You could be in the fourth inning of a 6-7 inning start and that is when like, all right, I got them.

If I have been able to reach that point, you feel like you got them and that's where you can keep your foot on the gas. Sometimes it's walking out of the bullpen. Sometimes it's the fifth inning. Just depends on the day.

Q. To piggyback off that, if you don't have it, what do you do to reset and focus?

A. The days you don't have it, a lot of times it feels like there's nothing you can do to get your best stuff. So I think it's a lot of reading in game situations and throwing the pitches in the spots that give you the best room for error, the best margin for error.

I think for me, it's all depending on who's in the box and what I'm feeling at that moment and what's coming out the best because there's really nothing you can do when you don't have your best stuff other than stay out there and keep pounding the zone and keep fighting.

Q. We've seen Jo Adell come to the plate with players on second and third with two outs. What's the feeling in the dugout when that situation presents itself from your perspective?

A. Yeah. When Jo Adell is in the box, you always feel like the ball has a chance to leave the yard or at least you know it is going to be hit really hard somewhere, so just having him in our lineup has been a huge boost. He's a great person to have inside the locker room as well. He gels unbelievably well with all of us.

And I mean, he's a phenomenal player, phenomenal guy, and I've had the pleasure of facing him, and it's a scary at-bat. So it's nice to have him on our team now.

Q. How much do you take away from that last start against the White Sox? It wasn't that long ago, but obviously different stakes now?

A. Yeah. Had a good one. That game honestly felt like what I'm assuming this game is going to feel like, because we pretty much been playing playoff baseball for the last three or four weeks. So that game to us and that series meant just as much as this one is going to.

And, yeah, I got to see what it's like. They'd already seen me three times up to that point. So I mean, what's a fifth now? It's just another time where we get to face a fun team and they get to face us.

Q. What did you take away from the playoff series last year and just being around? What do you think you can learn from that experience?

A. Yeah. I got to experience the energy that Cleveland brings to a home playoff game, and I thought that was so special. It was so hard to sit on the bench and not take part in everything that was going on.

Everybody's seen me pitch. When I get a big strike out, I build my own self up with energy whether there's a packed house or whether there's a half-empty stadium. So I'm just excited for that opportunity to be able to pitch in this meaningful game because I've got to see it. Now I actually get to taste it.

Q. You're still classified as a rookie even though seems like you've been here two, three years already. What does it mean to you being the first Cleveland rookie pitcher in at least 10 years to start a postseason game?

A. I mean, it's an incredible honor. I think I've been talking about it from where I expected this season to go and what I thought my job was going to be coming out of camp just fighting for that spot and getting to this point.

I mean, all glory to Lord. I wore my Jesus one shirt under this. That's my biggest thing that's carried me through this season. It's such an incredible honor in such a talented organization that has had so many talented pitchers come through that I'm getting this opportunity.

It shows the trust in the team in me, and I reciprocated with them. They've helped me become the player that I've become. And hopefully I go out there and get the job done for the team and the fans.

Q. What concerns you the most about facing Chicago for the third time? I mean, these guys know you, you know them.

A. No. I don't think you really worry about any lineup. I mean, they're a really exciting lineup top to bottom. I think we've seen what they can do when they put together good at-bats. And they're a talented team just like any other that's made it this far into the postseason.

I mean, every lineup you're going to face is pretty good. And I've got just as much information on them as they do on me, so I think it's just best stuff on best stuff and whoever executes more pitches is going to win and whoever hits more mistakes is going to win. That's how the game of baseball works at this point, and I anticipate it's going to be a pretty fun one tomorrow.

Q. Who's going to be there from your family and relatives and stuff?

A. I have a fair amount of people traveling in. I have parents, grandparents, aunt and uncle. I would have more, but we have some new young ones in the family. So they can't all make the traveling trip. But fiancé here as well. So should have a pretty loud cheering section.