The Ramifications Of Tanner Bibee's Runner-Up ROY Finish

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee was awarded a full season of service time for finishing runner-up for the American League Rookie of the Year.

Tanner Bibee didn't come home with the American League Rookie of the Year honors, but that shouldn't take away from what he did for the Cleveland Guardians during the 2023 season. 

Gunnar Henderson of the Baltimore Orioles won the award as Bibee finished second in the voting. Is there a conversation that Cleveland's nominee was snubbed? Sure. But that's not the focus here.

Sep 10, 2023; Anaheim, California, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee (61) prepares to throw to a Los Angeles Angels batter during the first inning of a game at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports / © Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports

Bibee's second-place finish actually has some serious ramifications for his future in the Big Leagues the Guardians' plan in the next few years. 

Even though Bibee made his debut on April 26 he will be credited with a full season of MLB service time for 2023 because he finished as a runner-up in the Rookie of the Year race. This was an incentive added into the 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement which encouraged teams to promote their top prospects early in the season instead of waiting.

Bibee's rookie season truly was one to remember. He started in 25 games and finished with an ERA of 2.98, which was the lowest among AL rookie pitchers. 

Many fans may not have expected to see the young pitcher make his debut at the beginning of the season, let alone put up this kind of numbers. Bibee's Triple-A sting consisted of three starters in which he dominated the opposition.

The injuries to Cleveland's rotation forced them to turn to Bibee earlier in the season. Now, the fans, coaching staff, and organization know that they have a future ace in their rotation that they can count on for years to come.