Bibee signed a five-year, $48 million contract extension with the Guardians on Saturday.
Bibee's new deal will buy out all three of his arbitration years and potentially two years beyond that if the Guardians elect to exercise their club option in 2030. The 26-year-old righty has been one of Cleveland's most reliable starters since reaching the big leagues, turning in a 3.25 ERA and 1.14 WHIP across his two MLB seasons. He's continued to look sharp in spring training, throwing nine shutout innings over his two starts, and he's set to take the mound for Cleveland on Thursday in what will be his first career Opening Day start.
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Guardians' Tanner Bibee: Named Opening Day starter
Rotowire
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt on Wednesday named Bibee the team's Opening Day starter for their March 27 matchup versus the Royals, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
Bibee will be opposed by Cole Ragans in the American League Central showdown. The 26-year-old Bibee has looked sharp this spring, tossing nine scoreless innings with seven strikeouts. Bibee finished the 2024 regular season with a 3.47 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 187:44 K:BB across 173.2 frames.
Bibee allowed one hit and one walk while striking out four over six scoreless innings in Monday's Cactus League start against the Reds.
This was just the second Cactus League outing for Bibee, who looked like he's ready to be Cleveland's ace. He's allowed three hits and two walks while striking out seven over nine Cactus League innings. Guardians manager Stephen Vogt has yet to name his Opening Day starter -- Cleveland is one of two teams that have not named one (Arizona is the other) -- but it would be a shock if the right-hander isn't given that honor. Bibee's five-day schedule lines up perfectly for him to get the ball against the Royals on March 27.
Bibee allowed two hits and one walk while striking out three over three scoreless innings in Thursday's spring start against Arizona.
Bibee sparkled in an efficient Cactus League debut, throwing 37 pitches (23 strikes). He made himself into the Guardians' ace in 2024 and looked nearly ready to handle that role again Thursday. A key to the right-hander's development was learning to control his emotions on the mound and not letting one adverse event affect him, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports. "I think [I'm] definitely a little more under control than last year's spring training," Bibee said. Evidence of that came in his final inning Thursday. After committing a throwing error on a pickoff attempt, Bibee turned his focus to the batter and got Geraldo Perdomo on a called third strike.
Bibee will start Game 5 of the ALCS against the Yankees on Saturday, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.
Bibee has made three starts during the postseason so far, during which he's allowed four earned runs over 10 innings. He didn't fare well during his most recent outing in Game 2, however, allowing three runs (two earned) in just 1.1 frames. His abbreviated outing will allow him to pitch on short rest Saturday, and he'll look to quiet the Yankees' offense, which owns a .743 OPS in the postseason.
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Guardians' Tanner Bibee: Tabbed to start Game 2 of ALCS
Rotowire
Bibee has been confirmed to start Game 2 of the American League Championship Series against the Yankees, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.
Bibee's most recent start came in Game 4 of the ALDS versus Detroit, when he allowed two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three batters over four innings. The right-hander also started Game 1 of that series and fared better, tossing 4.2 scoreless frames with six punchouts and one walk. Bibee will be opposed by Yankees ace Gerrit Cole in the second game of the ALCS.
Bibee will start Thursday in Game 4 of the ALDS against the Tigers, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.
Bibee will be on regular rest after tossing 4.2 shutout frames in Game 1, so he was the obvious call for the Guardians in Game 4. The Tigers used an opener in Game 1 and have not yet announced their Game 4 starter.
