KANSAS CITY -- Tanner Bibee¡¯s bout with food poisoning delayed his 2025 debut by three days. But it couldn¡¯t stop the right-hander from picking up where he left off last season.
Bibee tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings on Sunday at Kauffman Stadium, helping the Guardians beat the Royals, 6-2, as Cleveland secured a series victory in the opening weekend of the 2025 campaign. Bibee allowed just two hits and two walks.
¡°He did what he does: missed bats, missed barrels, good pace, fielded his position,¡± Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan said. ¡°That's what he's so consistent for, and that's why he's our dog.¡±
Bibee was the Guardians¡¯ rotation anchor last season, as he led the team in starts (31) and innings (187 2/3). He was slated to make his first career Opening Day start on Thursday, but Cleveland ultimately scratched him four hours before first pitch after he fell ill on Wednesday.
He showed no signs of fatigue on Sunday and worked up to 84 pitches. Manager Stephen Vogt went to the bullpen in the sixth after Bibee walked Bobby Witt Jr. with two outs. Bibee¡¯s reaction on the mound suggested he wanted a chance to get out of the inning. Vogt called on southpaw Tim Herrin to face lefty Vinnie Pasquantino.
¡°I always want to stay in the game no matter what,¡± Bibee said. ¡°Sometimes I'm not going to be happy about it, but it¡¯s not my choice. He's just trying to protect me, that¡¯s it. It¡¯s what his job is as the manager, so I get it.¡±
It¡¯s understandable considering Bibee was under the weather for several days this week. The Guardians also were methodical about their pitchers¡¯ build-ups this spring, including Bibee¡¯s after their run to the ALCS last fall. He set a new personal high in starts and innings at any professional level.
Bibee did not make his first Cactus League start until March 6. He only made three total while also getting work in on the backfields at the Guardians¡¯ Arizona complex. In his final spring start on March 22, he threw 83 pitches in 5 1/3 innings. He said he felt good after Sunday¡¯s outing.
¡°I feel like the first couple starts is making sure that you come out healthy,¡± Bibee said of his build-up after Sunday. ¡°It's a little bit of a Spring Training; no one is going to be going eight innings the first couple starts.
¡°So I feel like it¡¯s just getting through those starts and making sure you're coming out healthy. And then I feel like after a couple, you're full bore right into the season.¡±
If you didn¡¯t know any better, you could have assumed we were at that point already. Bibee¡¯s outing reminded of his 2024 season, when the Guardians could consistently count on him to deliver a quality outing.
The two hits Bibee allowed on Sunday went for extra bases. They also came in unique situations. Vinnie Pasquantino tripled in the first inning after Nolan Jones crashed through a bullpen gate in right field, causing it to fly open, on a leaping attempt. As Jones regathered himself, the ball trickled away.
Jones was OK after the play and also surprised at how that type of play is ruled.
¡°That rule is a little weird to me,¡± Jones said. ¡°If I get taken out of the play because of the field giving out, or something happening out of my control, that's a triple. Just a weird play.¡±
Pasquantino didn¡¯t score, nor did Hunter Renfroe in the second -- when he doubled on a fly ball that left fielder Steven Kwan appeared to lose in the sun.
It was 45 degrees and cloudy at first pitch on Sunday, but the clouds broke just before Renfroe drove a Bibee curveball to Kwan in left field. It had an expected batting average of .010, according to Statcast.
¡°I saw it go in [to the sun],¡± Kwan said. ¡°I thought it was going to come out, but a lot of clouds made it really bright. I just never picked it up.¡±
But the Guardians earned a season-opening series win over a division rival.
¡°It's going to be a battle all year with them, as well as the rest of the teams in our division,¡± Vogt said. ¡°I have a lot of respect for them and the way they play. ¡ But that's our goal: win every series, especially on the road. It's not easy to do, so credit to our guys.¡±