Bibee Brilla: Full Launch and Whitewash for the Guardians
Pitcher Tanner Bibee gave the Cleveland Guardians a performance they hadn’t seen in six years: a complete game shutout. Bibee struck out 10 batters and did not concede any walks, allowing only two hits in the Guardians’ 4-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox. This outstanding performance helped Cleveland stay in the fight for a spot in the American League Wild Card. Bibee (10-11) was more satisfied with not giving up walks than with reaching double digits in strikeouts.Bibee might be reaching his peak at a crucial time for the Cleveland team, which is looking to catch up with Seattle for the last American League wild card spot. Although he started the season as Cleveland’s ace, he had moments of inconsistency, resulting in an ERA of 4.69 before his 29th start. On Friday, he was extremely effective, baffling the White Sox lineup, which came into the game with nine wins in their last 11 games. His changeup worked from the start, setting the stage for his other pitches in the final innings.“Don’t walk batters, that’s for sure,” Bibee commented, who completed the game for the second time this season. “I hate walking batters, and it’s a beautiful thing when both things happen at the same time.”
Tanner Bibee
This was Cleveland’s first complete shutout since September 10, 2019, when Zach Plesac achieved the feat against the Los Angeles Angels. Bibee allowed consecutive singles in the third inning before escaping with a double play to end the inning. He retired 18 of the last 20 batters he faced, highlighted by Nolan Jones’ catch on a Lenyn Sosa hit for the final out. Cleveland (76-71) has won seven of eight games, including Bibee’s last two starts.“Finally,” he quipped. “It’s the work I put in every week between starts… Obviously, it’s been a year of ups and downs, but it worked today.”
Tanner Bibee
