Tanner Bibee strikes out seven in defeating Twins

Abreu has won all three years since becoming Boston’s right fielder. The other AL Gold Glove winners were P Tanner Bibee, C Dillon Dingler, 1B Christian Walker, 2B Cole Young, SS Taylor Walls, LF Cody Bellinger and UT Ezequiel Duran. The win by Walls snaps Bobby Witt Jr.'s two-year streak at shortstop.

It’s a “win or go home” situation for the Guardians, so every reliever is going to be a potential option on Monday. Tanner Bibee figures to serve as one of the bulk followers, but Joey Cantillo threw just 15 pitches in Game 4 on Saturday, and Slade Cecconi threw 22 pitches in that game, so they will both be possibilities as well. Gavin Williams, we know, will not be an option unless there is a Game 7.

All of the runs came in the first, which featured two doubles and two singles. Bibee ended up with a quality start anyway, striking out six, and got the victory to improve to 7-15 with a 4.36 ERA. He’ll next work in the ALDS against the winner of the AL West or the White Sox.

Bibee labored through a long first inning, giving up two runs on four hits. He bounced back with a scoreless second. Two more hits brought a third run home for the A’s in the third inning before plating a fourth run in the fourth. Bibee couldn’t hang in there for five innings despite 11 runs of support, as Donovan Walton knocked him from the game with a two-run homer. The 27-year-old right-hander ends the day with a 4.35 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and a 142/54 K/BB ratio across 182 innings.

Bibee got rare run support tonight, with the Guardians taking a 6-0 lead in the third, but he had to be pulled in the fifth after two doubles, a single that first baseman Nathaniel Lowe really should have made a play on and then a Pete Alonso homer. It’s the second straight start in which Bibee, whose velocity is down a bit, has allowed five runs, taking his ERA from 3.88 to 4.22. The Guardians did go on to win 9-5, though. It’s just the second time all year that they’ve scored more than six runs in a game started by Bibee. He’ll likely make his next start Monday against the White Sox.

Bibee managed a 28 percent Whiff rate and only allowed one hard-hit ball, but he allowed two walks, a bunt single and a 2-RBI double in consecutive order to lead off the fifth inning. Colin Holderman allowed the two inherited runners to score to stick Bibee with this final line. Bibee remains a coinflip to deliver fantasy value. He’ll try for better results against the Orioles next week.

Bibee found himself locked in a pitcher’s duel with Michael Wacha on Friday night. Both pitchers made it through four innings unscathed, but a leadoff double by Bobby Witt Jr. in the fifth inning wound up resulting in the first run of the night after Salvador Perez grounded out to bring Witt home from third two batters later. It was the only run Bibee would allow on the night before he was pulled in the seventh inning for Tim Herrin. Bibee has allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of his last three starts, but has only one win to show for his efforts. He’ll look to pick up his sixth win of the season in his next start, which is set for Thursday at home against the Blue Jays.

Bibee gave up runs in the third and fourth inning, the latter on a solo homer by Mickey Moniak. Outside of that it was a very strong outing for the right-hander that saw him generate 14 swing and misses, strike out six and give up just five hits while lowering his ERA on the 2026 campaign to 3.97. Bibee has not developed into an ace as many hoped he would, but he gets the job done more often than not. A chance to get it done again is scheduled for Friday against the Royals at home.

Cleveland was shutout in a Bibee start for the fourth time this year. Both he and Joey Cantillo have made 26 starts for the Guardians this season. Bibee has allowed 71 runs in 150 1/3 innings (4.25 RA/9). Cantillo has allowed 62 runs in 125 2/3 innings (4.44 RA/9). Bibee, though, is 4-13, whereas Cantillo has gone 9-7. Bibee will next face the Rockies in Coors, which might lead to some run support.

Bibee gave up a run in the second and three in the fifth. In spite of that, he pitched into the seventh, unfortunately. He walked back-to-back batters with one out in that frame — his only two walks of the game — and both came around to score after he departed. Tonight sums up Bibee’s season pretty well. He was perfect in the first, third, fourth and sixth innings, but he dropped to 4-12 after every single batter to reach against him either scored or knocked in a run. He’ll face the Padres next.