Tanner Bibee’s September Opportunity
Tampa — Tanner Bibee has had a challenging season, marked by a mix of impressive performances and inconsistency. However, September presents a chance for the right-hander to conclude the regular season on a high note and potentially help the Guardians secure a postseason berth.
Strong Start Against the Rays
Bibee began September positively by allowing only two runs over 6 2/3 innings, contributing to the Guardians’ 3-2 victory over the Rays on Saturday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Cleveland is now aiming to win an important four-game series against the postseason contenders.
Playoff Race Update
The Guardians (71-70) passed the Rays (71-71) in the American League Wild Card standings, though they still trail Seattle (74-68) by 2.5 games for the third spot.
Manager’s Praise
“That was unbelievable,” said manager Stephen Vogt. “Tanner was outstanding.” Bibee’s performance on Saturday marked his first quality start since July 21, following a period of struggle where he had a 6.15 ERA in 11 starts since July 2.
Metrics and Misfortune
This season, Bibee has shown improvements in various metrics compared to last year, yet he has faced bad luck. His expected ERA of 3.83 suggests that undeserved runs might have impacted his stats more than they should have.
Mental Resilience
Bibee acknowledged that he has been working on maintaining his mental focus despite setbacks this season. “I felt like in the past, I handled tough moments better. This year has been different with the bad luck,” he noted.
Crucial Moments
In the fourth inning, a first-pitch foul popup fell between players, but Bibee managed to strike out Brandon Lowe. He allowed a leadoff homer in the fifth but quickly recovered. His outing ended on a close play that saw a runner reach base due to an infield single that clipped his glove.
Postgame Reflections
After the game, a teammate reassured Bibee, saying, “Tanner, you’re nasty, bro.” Bibee chuckled in response, “I hope so. It felt good today, so that’s promising.”
