The Cleveland Guardians, with the best record in baseball and a 3.5-game lead in the highly competitive AL Central, are facing a significant challenge with multiple pitchers dealing with injuries. This has led to a current losing streak of three games.
The most pressing concern is ace Tanner Bibee, who missed his scheduled start last Saturday due to shoulder tightness. Fortunately, Bibee was cleared to play catch on Monday, and there’s a possibility he could return to the mound without needing to go on the injured list, according to MLB.com.
Bibee, a 25-year-old right-hander, is having an impressive sophomore season after finishing as the runner-up for Rookie of the Year in 2023. He has a 9-4 record with a 3.48 ERA, 1.093 WHIP, and 2 WAR in 22 starts this year. Alongside Ben Lively, Bibee has been a key part of Cleveland’s rotation.
The Guardians lost former Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber earlier in the season due to Tommy John surgery. Injuries and underperformance have resulted in one of the weakest pitching staffs in baseball, with the Guardians’ starters ranking 24th or worse in ERA, quality starts, batting average against, WHIP, and WPA.
To address the rotation issues, Cleveland signed former Detroit Tigers’ starter Matthew Boyd in June and acquired veteran Alex Cobb in a trade with the San Francisco Giants at the deadline. However, both pitchers are still recovering from surgery and have not yet made their 2024 debuts.
Despite the rotation struggles, the Guardians have managed to stay 25 games above .500 and maintain the best record in baseball. They hold a half-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees and a 3.5-game lead in the AL Central over the Minnesota Twins. Although they’ve lost their last three games, they are 8-5 in their last 13.
The team hopes Bibee will be able to participate in a bullpen session soon. Guardians’ manager Stephen Vogt expressed optimism, noting that the team anticipates Bibee will be ready but will proceed with caution.
For the Guardians to make a strong postseason run, their rotation needs to improve and relieve some pressure from their bullpen. The bullpen has been exceptional this year, leading MLB in ERA, WHIP, batting average against, and WPA, but they are also one of the most overworked units. The team’s postseason success largely depends on the rotation getting healthy and effective, particularly as two key starters have yet to pitch in 2024.
