The Cleveland Guardians feel confident in a bounce-back season from Tanner Bibee in 2026.
Tanner Bibee had a frustrating 2025 season, and he even admitted it at times. All hope isn’t lost on the 26-year-old starter, though. There are some encouraging signs that the Cleveland Guardians' starting pitcher will have a rebound year in 2026.
Tanner Bibee’s Expected Numbers
For as overwhelming as Bibee’s final stats were in 2025, there is some evidence that he was a victim of a somewhat alarming lack, too. The proof for that can be seen in his expected stats.
Bibee finished last season with an xERA of 3.64 and an xBA of .229, which both ranked above average compared to the rest of the league. Both of those numbers are vastly different from his actual stats of a 4.24 ERA and an opponent batting average of .246.
Perhaps using expected stats is a bit of a nitpick, but it does explain some of the seeing-eye singles and weak-contact hits Bibee allowed last year.
Oct 1, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee (28) delivers a pitch against Detroit Tigers in the first inning during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn ImagesTanner Bibee Still Had Strong Command
For as much trouble Bibee found himself in at times last season, his command of the plate was still relatively strong.
He finished the year with a thrown strike rate of 65 percent, which was the same as his 2.98 ERA in his rookie season. Bibee also had a walk rate of just 7.1 percent, which ranked in the 67th percentile. So, he was giving up too many free passes to first base, either.
If the reason for Bibee’s 2025 stats was that he lost command of the plate, there’d be a different conversation heading into 2026. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case, and Bibee might just need to work on missing more bats this offseason.
Tanner Bibee’s Strong Finish
The most encouraging sign that Bibee is in store for a bounce-back 2026 season is the way he finished 2025.
During the final month of the season, Bibee made four starts and pitched to a 1.30 ERA and a 0.76 WHIP. In these appearances, he struck 25.5 percent of the batters he faced, which was the highest of any month of the season.
Bibee’s best start of the year came on September 12 against the Chicago White Sox, where he pitched a full nine-inning complete game shutout, allowing just two base runners the entire night.
It may be a small sample size, but this stretch alone should give Bibee and the Guardians reason for optimism about a strong 2026 campaign.