Guardians' Rookie Tanner Bibee Placed on IL, Ending His Season

Tanner Bibee will not make the Cleveland Guardians' upcoming road trip after he exited Saturday's game with a hip injury.

© Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Guardians have underwhelmed on many fronts this year. One player who has really stepped up in an otherwise disappointing season is rookie Tanner Bibee. The 2021 draft pick made his debut back in April and has done nothing but impress ever since.

Bibee has made 25 starts this season and owns an ERA of 2.98 and 1.18 WHIP in those appearances. His season has been good enough to solidify himself in the thick of the American League Rookie of the Year race along with Baltimore's Gunnar Henderson and Texas' Josh Jung.

However, his first MLB season has ended prematurely after he left Saturday night's game prematurely with what the team called "hip tightness" at the time.

Manager Terry Francona said after that game that the team was going to get him scanned just to make sure he was alright. But that imaging must've come up with something. 

The Guardians had just wrapped up a sweep of the Texas Rangers on Sunday so the vibes were high until the latest news on Bibee came out. 

Guardians have placed rookie RHP Tanner Bibee on injured list with hip inflammation.

RHP James Karinchak recalled from Triple-A Columbus.

— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) September 18, 2023

Tom Withers of the Associated Press first reported that Bibee will not make the road trip with the team to Kansas City and his season "appears over."

Sep 16, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee (61) walks off the field with manager Terry Francona, left, and head athletic trainer James Quinlan, right, during the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Progressive Field. Bibee left the game with an injury. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / © Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Yes, this is a disappointing way for Bibee to end his rookie season after he's been consistently good all year long. On the other hand, there's no reason for Bibee to push through an injury when the Guardians aren't in contention for another postseason run.

Sep 16, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee (61) walks off the field with manager Terry Francona, left, and head athletic trainer James Quinlan, right, during the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Progressive Field. Bibee left the game with an injury. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / © Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

By shutting him down for the year, Bibee can focus on getting healthy, heading into an offense where he can work on developing his pitches without rehabbing, and get ready for a crucial 2024 season.

The team has recalled James Karinchak from Triple-A Columbus to join them on the road trip.