Tanner Bibee seems prepared to be Guardians’ ace after 'up-and-down' showing in 2025

Tanner Bibee’s 2025 season was one of peaks and valleys. 

After reaching a career peak last spring via a five-year, $48 million extension, Bibee posted a 4.29 ERA in a first half which also having sevens starts where he allowed 4+ runs. 

But then things turned around in the second half, so much so that Bibee finished the year with a 1.30 ERA in four September starts. 

Now the 26-year-old is in the second year of that aforementioned extension and seemingly ready to handle the pressure put upon his shoulders. 

Tanner Bibee seems ready to lead the Guardians’ rotation in 2026 

Earlier this week Bibee made his spring debut, where he threw two scoreless innings with one strikeout in Clevleand’s win over the Diamondbacks. Afterwards he held court with the team’s beat in Arizona, where he provided some insight into the pressure he put upon himself last season. 

“I did sign a contract ... maybe I put the pressure on myself to want to pitch better than I already was instead of just being who I was,” Bibee said, per Cleveland.com’s Paul Hoynes. “So, I feel like I could have been doing that pretty early (in the season), for sure.

Bibee also told reporters that he felt his 2025 campaign was a “super up-and-down season,” which was evident to anyone watching. 

Early in the year Bibee struggled in all the areas that had brought him success early in his career. His strikeout rate was down, his walk rate was up and at one point he was giving up an eye-popping 2.45 home runs per nine innings.

But it seemed like he found his confidence as the season went on (or stopped feeling so much pressure to live up to his contract) and started attacking the zone again as opposed to nibbling and getting behind in counts. 

His second half renaissance coincided with the Guardians starting their historic comeback for the American League Central title, which was a classic case of a riding tide lifting all boats in Cleveland’s rotation. 

While Bibee only made four starts in that time period thanks to the Guardians shifting to a six-man rotation, he was lights out in all of them and even threw a shutout against the White Sox. In total, the Guardians rotation finished September with an American League-leading 2.60 ERA. 

Bibee also excelled in the 4 2/3 innings he threw in his lone postseason start against the Tigers, which ended up being Cleveland’s only October win.

He should get plenty of chances to take the ball this season thanks to the team going back to a five-man rotation, and he and Gavin Wiliams will make up one of the best 1-2 punches in the American League. 

Last season Bibee missed out a chance to be the Guardians’ Opening Day starter after he was sidelined with acute gastroenteritis.

If everything goes to plan this season, he should be on the mound for the Guardians when they open their season against the Mariners on March 26.