Why 2026 Could Be a Bounce-Back Year for Guardians Pitcher Tanner Bibee

It took a bit of time for him to find his groove, but by the end of the 2025 campaign, Tanner Bibee was acting as the Cleveland Guardians' ace.

He finished last season with an incredibly impressive 16 hits and four earned runs for an ERA of 1.30 across the final four games. He also gave up just five walks while striking out 26 batters, placing himself in the perfect position to continue to grow and gain confidence on the mound in the offseason.

"If I don't have that September, in my opinion, I’m probably not on the playoff roster,” Bibee said.

While it wasn't all positive in 2025, Bibee understands that and hopes to see more of what he did in September.

“Super up and down,” Bibee said about 2025. “I feel like I dealt with a ton of adversity, probably the most adversity I've dealt with since college. … I feel like all the factors that I don't have control over, and even the factors I do have control over, I feel like I didn't do a very good job of handling it...

“I sat and reflected a lot about this last year, this offseason. This year definitely feels like way more of a clean slate. It feels like there's a lot less stress to it. I'm excited to go out there.”

To start spring training, he's played in just two games for a total of five innings, giving up four hits and three earned runs. He also has tacked on one strikeout and no walks, giving himself a 0.80 WHIP and .211 batting average against.

While his ERA isn't sharp, everything else has maintained a positive trend.

A One-Two Punch

Another factor that makes Bibee so intriguing, and a legitimate breakout candidate for 2026, is the presence of a just-as-strong counterpart in Gavin Williams. Having another frontline arm alongside him helps to elevate his ceiling.

Williams is on pace to be the team's most exciting pitcher in 2026, potentially overtaking Bibee as the team's ace. At this point, he’s every bit as talented, if not more so, and that balance gives the Guardians a formidable one-two punch at the top of the rotation.

With both capable of dominating on any given night, the pressure eases. Each knows the other is ready to set the tone or pick up the slack the following day; instead of carrying the staff alone, they can feed off one another.

Bibee's Leadership and Locker Room Presence

Throughout his time in the majors, one of the most overlooked parts of his role with the Guardians is his leadership and comfort with his clubmates.

Late in the 2025 campaign, when the team needed a bit of extra energy, Bibee was heard and seen yelling in the dugout to hype the team up. Those types of moments are exactly what you are looking for from a starting pitcher.

In the postseason, outfielding prospect Chase DeLauter, who was making his debut with the big leagues, dropped a ball in the opening inning of action.

While many immediately began criticizing DeLauter, Bibee took the time to speak to the youngster in the dugout, showing yet again his comfort in having a voice and not allowing moments like that to shake the team loose.

Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee and rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter are able to laugh about his first inning error now that the Guardians escaped without allowing a run pic.twitter.com/HwOg9sOctX
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 1, 2025

That type of comfort with the team's most promising prospects, ones that are likely to be staples for years to come, is exactly what the front office likes to see.

Moving Forward

The hope now for Bibee is that he can continue to show signs of improvement in spring training, coming in the form of pitch placement and control when things go awry.

One of his biggest criticisms last season was that when he got down in counts, allowed a few too many hits or the occasional deep shot, he became flustered and couldn't regain his rhythm. While that can happen at times to a player who's been thrust into the ace role with tremendous pressure, learning from that is one of the most valuable things he could take away.

Through the rest of spring training, that'll for sure be a focal point for the coaching staff.

The Guardians' next game will be on Tuesday, March 3, against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the first pitch slated for 3:05 p.m. EST. Bibee will likely return to the mound in a few days time.