Tanner Bibee’s first start and first win of the 2025 season.
The Cleveland Guardians are moving onto San Diego with a record of 2 and 1. The Guardians carried the momentum of a strong outing from Tanner Bibee to a 6 to 2 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
Tanner Bibee was set to make his first career Opening Day start when an unfortunate bout of food poisoning left the Guards relying on Ben Lively. This is how the Guardians ace found himself pitching the 3rd game of the year. Bibee had an adventurous start to the game, walking the lead off batter, but was bailed out on a strike-him-out-throw-him-out that was originally called safe and overturned after a successful challenge.
Pasquatino tripled on a fly ball to right field that resulted in rough play for Nolan Jones. Jones, missed the catch but slammed into the bullpen gate in the processes, breaking the lock free. He caught himself, thankfully but came up cradling his elbow. Jones stayed in the game with no further sign of discomfort, but it definitely was cause for a breath hold. In the bottom of the second Renfroe doubled to Steven Kwan, who lost the ball in the sun and would have otherwise routinely made the catch.
From there, Bibee locked in. He retired 13 straight and was one strike away from recording a quality start. Once he walked Bobby Witt Jr. in the bottom of the sixth with two outs, manager Stephen Vogt turned to Tim Herrin to finish the inning. Bibee finished the day allowing only two runs and two walks while striking out two in 5.2 innings pitched.
Tim Herrin took over pitching duties, hitting the first batter but ultimately closing out the inning. Joey Cantillo came in for the bottom of the seventh. Cantillo looked sharp, striking out one and only allowing a double to left before Freddy Fermin lined out to second base. Cantillo stayed in for the bottom of the eighth to face the 9-1-2 hitters. A fielding error by Gabriel Arias allowed Dairon Blanco to reach. Jonathan India and Bobby Witt Jr. both hit and Cantillo walked in a run. Vogt turned to Hunter Gaddis to finish the inning. Gaddis punched out two, but walked Hunter Renfroe for another run. Gaddis got out of the eighth, beating out Maikel Garcia to first for a groundout.
The Guardians turned to Emmanuel Clase to close out the game. Clase made quick work of Freedy Fermin (ground out to second) and Cavan Biggio (flyout to center). Clase hit Jonathan India in the ear flap to put a runner on, but struck out Bobby Witt Jr. to end the game.
With José Ramírez out for today, due to his wrist injury in yesterday’s game, there were some concerns if the club could carry the offense without him. Carry they did. Cleveland offense gave Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha trouble, forcing him out of the game after he threw 87 pitches through four innings. With homers from none other than Kyle Manzardo, Gabriel Arias, and Daniel Schneemann the Guardians had no problem ensuring Bibee earned his first win of the season.
Gabriel Arias scored Santana on a sac fly to right to kick things off. He ended the day with 2H, 1R, 2RBI in 3ABs including a successful bunt and his opposite field home run.
Steven Kwan is restarting his .300BA campaign for the season, going 3-for-5 with a run and RBI on three singles, a forceout, and a flyout.
Kyle Manzardo went 2-for-5 with a single and his own towering, two-run homer homer.
Daniel Schneemann had himself a quietly successful day. Schneemann walked in every at bat up until his homer in the top of the 8th.
Final Score: CLE 6 – KC 2
The Guardians will fly west and start their campaign in San Diego tomorrow. First pitch is at 9:40PM EDT. Luis Ortiz will get his first start as a Cleveland Guardian against LHP Kyle Hart.