The Cleveland Guardians have Tanner Bibee on their playoff roster.
You wouldn’t know it during the ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays, though.
Game 6 was the most logical time to use Bibee. The Guardians were throwing what amounted to a bullpen game. Bibee was fresh.
Yet the Guardians kept turning in directions that weren’t Bibee.
Why Isn’t Tanner Bibee Pitching?
This is obviously a sign that the Guardians don’t trust Bibee right now, but it’s hard to know why.
He was given just one outing against the Chicago White Sox in the ALDS, and it didn’t go well. He gave up two runs and got just one out, getting pulled after just three batters. The Guardians must’ve felt he couldn’t handle coming out of the bullpen again after that.
But then the question must be asked — why keep him on the roster for the ALCS if there’s no scenario where you’d use him?
Bibee could’ve eaten some innings when the Guardians trailed in one of the three games they lost, to save some bullets of the more valuable relief arms.
He could’ve gotten bulk innings in a game that reliever Shawn Armstrong started.
Bibee is a capable pitcher, but the Guardians have just banished him for a reason that no one quite understands.
Tanner Bibee Stats
Bibee had a 4.36 ERA this season, which was worse than his career 3.82 mark, but not entirely terrible for a starting pitcher, either.
This is the guy the Guardians gave the baseball to for their Opening Day start. They’ve generally believed in him during his career.
Cleveland fans would love to still see Bibee at some point in these playoffs. It would probably mean the Guardians have extended their series against the Rays.
But for whatever reason, at least temporarily, Bibee fell out of favor. And if the season ends without Bibee pitching a single inning in the ALCS, it’ll be weird that he was on the roster at all. Every roster spot is crucial in a series like this one, and Bibee was just occupying one for apparently no reason.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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