The Cleveland Guardians haven’t played a single regular-season game yet, but the team already faces adversity. Opening Day starter Tanner Bibee was scratched just hours before his start due to food poisoning.
The team will go with Ben Lively with Bibee ruled out. In 151 innings last season, Lively posted a 3.81 ERA with the Guardians. He was expected to serve as the team’s No. 4 starter coming out of spring training, but will be pushed into action earlier than expected with Bibee sidelined.
Bibee, 26, was named the team’s Opening Day starter after putting up a 3.47 ERA over 173 2/3 innings in 2024. It was going to be Bibee’s first career Opening Day start.
Bibee emerged as a future star during the 2023 MLB season, posting a 2.98 ERA in 25 starts after being called up. On other teams, that performance may have put Bibee in the conversation to start Opening Day in 2024, but the Guardians opted for veteran Shane Bieber instead. That wasn’t a surprising move, as Bieber started every Opening Day contest with the Guardians since 2020.
With Bieber sidelined to start the 2025 MLB season, that honor was supposed to shift to Bibee. Instead, Lively will get the call on short notice. It’s unclear when Bibee will make his season debut. The Guardians have an off day Friday before continuing their opening series with the Kansas City Royals on Saturday. That might give Bibee enough time to rest and recover from his illness. The Guardians have updated their starting pitchers to TBD for Saturday and Sunday’s game, leaving the door open for Bibee to start one of those contests.
Cleveland is looking to repeat as American League Central champs after winning 92 games last season. Losing Bibee on Opening Day definitely stings, but shouldn’t affect the team’s season-long goal of another postseason run.
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