Tanner Bibee Continues To Baffle Detroit

The Tigers headed to Cleveland for an important three-game series as they continue to dig themselves out of the hole they created in May. They brought a few new faces with them, including outfielder James Outman and right-handed pitcher Jacob Waguespack, while designating shortstop Zach Short for assignment and getting Kenley Jansen back as an option in the bullpen.

But they ran into the same problem they had last year with Tanner Bibee.

Bibee picked up his second win of the season, both against Detroit, as Cleveland took the series opener, 3-2, at Progressive Field. The Tigers had chances early, got a spark from Outman in his Detroit debut, and saw the bullpen mostly keep them within range after Jack Flaherty left the game early. Still, the offense could not string enough together against Bibee and Cleveland’s bullpen.

The first inning was an early missed opportunity. Kevin McGonigle was called out on strikes to open the game, but Gleyber Torres and Riley Greene followed with back-to-back walks. That gave Detroit two on with one out for Dillon Dingler and Kerry Carpenter, but Bibee punched out both hitters, Dingler on a foul tip and Carpenter swinging, to end the threat.

Cleveland broke through in the second. Rhys Hoskins doubled to left, then came around to score on Patrick Bailey’s RBI single. Brayan Rocchio followed with an RBI triple to right, scoring Bailey and giving Cleveland a 2-0 lead. That inning was the difference in the early part of the game, especially with Bibee settling in after the Tigers made him work in the first.

Detroit answered in the third with one of the better stories of the night. Outman, playing his first game with the Tigers, drove a solo home run to right-center field for his first homer of the season.

He also made an impressive diving catch in center field earlier in the game, giving Detroit exactly the kind of athletic outfield presence they were hoping to see right away.

The larger concern came before the fourth inning, when Flaherty did not return to the mound. Waguespack replaced him in the bottom of the fourth, forcing the Tigers into a bullpen game much earlier than planned. Flaherty allowed two runs over three innings, with the damage coming in the second. This was the play that may have led him to leave the game early, which happened in the first inning. 

To the bullpen’s credit, Detroit stayed in the game. Waguespack worked around a single and a walk in the fourth. Drew Sommers followed with a scoreless fifth, striking out Travis Bazzana and Kyle Manzardo. Drew Anderson gave up Cleveland’s third run in the sixth after Angel Martínez doubled and Steven Kwan singled him home, but Ty Madden helped stabilize things late.

Madden’s outing was one of the better developments for Detroit. He entered in the seventh, stranded a Chase DeLauter double, then struck out the side in the eighth. For a team still trying to sort out bullpen roles, Madden showing that type of swing-and-miss in a close game is worth noting.

The Tigers made it a one-run game in the eighth when Spencer Torkelson hit his 11th home run of the season to center field. That ended Bibee’s night and brought in Hunter Gaddis, but Detroit could not build from there. Zach McKinstry grounded out, Outman flew out and McGonigle flew out to end the inning.

Cade Smith closed it in the ninth for Cleveland. Torres grounded out, Greene struck out swinging and Dingler flew out to left to end the game.

Detroit finished with two runs, both on solo home runs. That was the story of the offense. Outman and Torkelson provided the damage, but the Tigers did not get enough sustained pressure. The first inning was their best chance to flip the game early, and Bibee escaped it by striking out the middle of the order.

But Cleveland won the small-margin game because it cashed in with runners on base, while Detroit’s offense relied on solo shots. In a series where the Tigers are trying to keep moving forward after May, the opener was competitive, but not complete enough. Detroit falls to 29-41 on the season. Tarik Skubal makes his return to the mound tomorrow. 

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