Analyst Has High Optimism for Guardians Starting Pitcher

Cleveland Guardians' starter Tanner Bibee is ready to break out as one of MLB's top pitchers in 2025.

Apr 27, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee (28) reacts after an out against the Atlanta Braves in the sixth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Guardians may have won 92 games last season and were three wins away from a World Series appearance, but this team's core is still relatively young.

Multiple players on the Guardians are on the verge of a breakout season, and Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer recently highlighted one of those players in an article.

Rymer named Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee as one of MLB's underrated players ready to explode in 2025.

"Bibee did regress in 2024...initially. He ultimately finished strong in the second half of the season, posting a 3.01 ERA with 3.8 times as many strikeouts as walks over 12 starts," wrote Rymer.

"There are too many good pitchers in the AL to proclaim Bibee the favorite for the Cy Young Award. But unlike in 2023 and 2024, he might at least get votes this year."

Oct 19, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee (28) celebrates after a double play during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees during game five of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

The MLB analyst noted that one reason for Bibee's second-half success in 2024 was that he started throwing his cutter more, which is "an approach he'd do well to keep up in 2025, as his cutter limited hitters to a .141 average and scored a plus-13 run value."

Another thing that could help Bibee break out in 2025 is getting deeper into games.

Many times in 2024, the right-hander saw his pitch count quickly add up early in his starts, which limited him from working into the sixth or seventh inning.

If Bibee can use this cutter to put away hitters earlier in at-bats and go further in games, there's no reason to think he can't be one of the top pitchers in the American League this year.

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