CLEVELAND -- One area the Guardians could afford more consistency from at this stage in the season is their starting pitchers getting deeper into games. After an up-and-down start to the season, Tanner Bibee is now doing it.
Bibee threw seven innings on Saturday in the Guardians’ 7-1 loss to the Phillies at Progressive Field and allowed just one run on five hits. The outing marked the second time he threw seven innings this season after he did so two turns ago on April 29 against the Twins.
“He just commanded the ball really well,” catcher Austin Hedges said. “Filled up the zone, got quick outs and wasn't chasing punchouts. Let them happen and was able to have really quick innings.”
Cleveland entered Saturday ranked 23rd in the Majors with 192 1/3 innings pitched by starters this season. The rotation's average of 5.1 innings pitched per start was tied for 21st with four other teams.
Bibee, meanwhile, entered Saturday averaging 5.43 innings through seven starts this season, which was down slightly from last season (he averaged 5.60 innings per start). His numbers have been much better of late.
Along with his start against the Twins and Saturday, Bibee went six innings on April 22 (vs. the Yankees). He went five innings in his most recent outing, on May 4 in Toronto, but he only threw 86 pitches and was forced to exit early after experiencing cramping in both legs.
“The first month of the season was definitely a roller coaster,” said Bibee, who recorded a 5.85 ERA through his first four outings, over which he allowed seven homers in 20 innings. “I feel like I've been able to kind of get my base and have that thing I can lean on every single outing. And I feel like now, it's just keep the steady incline.”
For Bibee, that base includes throwing strikes. It’s no secret that a pitcher has a better chance to get deeper into games when they fill up the zone and avoid handing out free passes. And in turn, for the Guardians specifically, getting longer outings from the starters means they can give their relievers breathers more consistently.
“I feel like if I'm filling up the zone every single outing, I have a chance to go six, seven, eight innings,” Bibee said. “And if I'm not filling up the zone, that's when I gotta either really grind, or it's gonna be a rough day.”
Bibee issued 11 walks over those first four starts. He’s only walked five batters in his past four outings, including zero on Saturday -- when he needed just eight pitches to get through the first inning. Bryson Stott grounded out to the mound, Trea Turner lined out to center fielder Angel Martínez and Bryce Harper flied out to right fielder Jhonkensy Noel.
Bibee threw no more than 20 pitches in a single inning; he worked around a one-out double by Brandon Marsh in the fifth. He threw 18 pitches in the fourth, but stranded Harper on third and Kyle Schwarber on second after Schwarber hit an RBI single. That accounted for Philadelphia’s only run off of Bibee.
“Tanner was outstanding,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “Efficient, weak contact, keeping them off-balance. They had the one inning when they got something going, scored the one run. But outside of that, seven innings, efficient. Just gave us a great chance to win.”
One interesting wrinkle to Bibee’s season to date -- and his success on Saturday -- is he’s done it without being overly reliant on the strikeout. Entering Saturday, his strikeout rate was 17.6 percent, down from 26.3 percent in 2024.
He’s showing lately that he can be dominant without mowing through opponents’ lineups. His season high in strikeouts is five, a figure he’s hit three times.
“Obviously, striking people out is nice,” Bibee said. “But at the same time, if I'm getting first-pitch outs, [that is too]. If I struck out seven people today, I bet you I don't go out there for the seventh. I think it's just the push-pull. You can't have your cake and eat it too. My goal going into this year is go deeper into games, and that's what I'm doing.”
The Guardians trailed 1-0 when he exited. But Cleveland had just four hits and three walks, and Philadelphia tacked on six runs in the eighth inning.
Bibee’s outing continued an encouraging stretch.
“I feel like as the season goes on, he just keeps getting better,” Hedges said.