Bibee finds a balance, ready to be Guards' ace

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Numerous stats reflect Tanner Bibee emerging as an anchor atop the Guardians¡¯ starting rotation. What you can¡¯t quantify is the work and focus he's put into improving the mental and emotional side of the game.

¡°I feel like towards the tail end of last year, that was the one thing,¡± said Bibee, who struck out three in three scoreless innings in his Spring Training debut in Thursday's 4-0 win over the D-backs at Goodyear Ballpark.

¡°It's not like I was giving up less hits or punching out more guys or whatever. I let stuff roll off my shoulders a lot easier. And I think that's honestly what it came down to. My stuff didn't change that much. My competitiveness is still there.¡±

Bibee finding that balance last season -- maintaining his competitive fire and a sharp focus, even if a moment doesn¡¯t go his way -- was an important aspect of growth during his 2024 season, when he emerged as a leading arm atop the Guardians¡¯ rotation.

The right-hander, who turned 26 on Wednesday, recorded a 3.47 ERA and 187 strikeouts in 173 2/3 innings over 31 starts last season, which followed his impressive rookie season in 2023 (2.98 ERA and 141 strikeouts in 142 innings over 25 starts).

Those with the Guardians noticed the growth he displayed in his mentality as last season went on.

¡°The beginning of the year, he knew how great he wanted to be,¡± catcher Austin Hedges said. ¡°I think if he gave up a couple runs early, he didn't respond as well as he would have liked to, and maybe got a little bit emotional on the mound and then have an outing that he wasn't really as pleased with.

¡°And then after that happened a couple times, he came out almost like a completely different guy. It happened overnight, where if something bad happened early, you could just tell he didn't care. It was right back to business, right back to executing pitches. ¡­ So I think the growth for him and his response to failure is what's making him into a bona fide ace in this league.¡±

What brought on this shift and the ability to flip the switch?

¡°I feel like you get to a point in the year when you're kind of sick of getting your butt kicked,¡± Bibee said. ¡°And you're kind of just ready to make a change. I think I was ready to make a change.¡±

Guardians pitching coach Carl Willis also pointed to Bibee maintaining control of his emotions as something that stood out about the right-hander¡¯s growth last season.

¡°He's such a fierce competitor that there seemingly were times that he may have [had] a tough time letting go of the previous pitch,¡± Willis said. ¡°Or whether he didn't execute how he wanted to execute, or he felt like he didn't get the call he wanted to get. And we just saw so much growth and maturity in him, just being able to work pitch to pitch and not get overly consumed by the pitch he just made.¡±

Bibee can notice the difference in his mentality this Spring Training compared to last. In the fourth inning Thursday, he allowed a leadoff single to Grae Kessinger and a one-out walk to Jake McCarthy. Bibee misfired on a pickoff attempt at second a few moments later, and the ball trickled into center field.

He then struck out Geraldo Perdomo to end the inning.

¡°I think [I¡¯m] definitely a little more under control than last year's Spring Training,¡± Bibee said. ¡°It's how I gauge it this early in my career. ¡­ I threw the pick off away, walked a guy. I didn't really let it get to me. I released it. I was able to get back on the horse.¡±

Bibee will be counted on to be an anchor atop the Guardians¡¯ starting rotation again this season. For a team that leaned heavily on its bullpen last season, him giving the Guardians six-plus strong innings consistently last year was huge.

What can taking another step this season look like for him?

¡°I think [it¡¯s] understanding that, OK, he's had success,¡± Willis said. ¡°Part of that success is going to mean hitters and the opposition are investing a little bit more time now preparing for him. So I think never forgetting what that success looks like, what got you that success. And at the same time, learning about yourself, how you can stay a little bit unpredictable, change of sequencing, or be a little more difficult to prepare for.

¡°But I think from a confidence standpoint, you can't forget that you have done it, but you have to continue to work to continue to do it.¡±