Tanner Bibee's next start pushed back by Guardians

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee was originally scheduled to start Saturday's contest against the visiting Baltimore Orioles. That is no longer the case. The team has decided to push his next start back until after this weekend after experiencing some tightness after his previous start. Joey Cantillo will be starting in place of Bibee on Saturday against Baltimore.

This development did not sit that well with the fanbase, as many feared the worst. However, the fact that the Guardians have only decided to delay his next start rather than immediately place him on the injured list is somewhat encouraging, given the circumstances. If there was something to be genuinely concerned about, the Guardians would have put him on the IL and shut him down immediately, but that is not the path they have chosen to go down at this time.

Even though not having one of their best starters available against the second-best team in the American League is far from ideal, ensuring Bibee's health over the rest of the season is clearly the priority at this time. There is absolutely no reason for Bibee to push himself at this time, considering how crucial he is to the team's success, in addition to the current state of Cleveland's rotation. While the Guardians did acquire Alex Cobb from the San Francisco Giants at the deadline, his success is far from guaranteed as he is yet to throw a pitch in 2024. The Guardians cannot afford to lose another pitcher for an extended period, and handling Bibee in this manner is the right move for the team at this time. 

Bibee has a 3.48 ERA, 1.093 WHIP, and 9.8 strikeouts per nine in his second major league season. With a 9-4 record in 22 starts, Bibee has been able to provide some much-needed stability in a rotation that desperately needed it following the season-ending injury to Shane Bieber and has been a key factor in Cleveland's success this season.