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Guardians’ Tanner Bibee Scratched From Opening Day Start Due To Illness

By Steve Adams | March 27, 2025 at 1:12pm CDT

The Guardians announced Thursday that right-hander Tanner Bibee has been scratched from his scheduled Opening Day start due to acute gastroenteritis (or, the stomach flu). Cleveland will give the nod to fellow right-hander Ben Lively in his place.

It’s an unfortunate development for the recently extended Bibee, who is just days removed from signing a five-year, $48MM contract extension. It’s unlikely he’ll miss significant time with the illness, but Opening Day starts are a cherished occasion for pitchers. Bibee figures to have opportunities in the future, but this would’ve been his first Opening Day nod. Shane Bieber started for Cleveland in each of the past two seasons — Bibee’s only two years in the majors.

On the flip side, it’s an unexpected chance for Lively to also get his first career Opening Day nod. The notion of Bibee as an Opening Day starter would’ve been beyond far-fetched just a few short years ago. The now-33-year-old righty pitched only one big league inning in 2019 and didn’t pitch in the majors at all from 2020-22. Lively spent the 2020-21 season with the Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization, returned to North America on a minor league deal with the Reds, and didn’t make it back to the majors until 2023. He pitched 88 2/3 innings for Cincinnati that year and logged a 5.38 ERA.

The Guardians still brought Lively in on a major league contract last year, guaranteeing him a $750K salary. He crushed any and all expectations, rattling off 151 innings with a 3.81 earned run average, an 18.7% strikeout rate, a 7.2% walk rate and a 41.9% ground-ball rate. Lively misses bats at a well below-average level, but he has sharp command and managed to strand runners at a much higher rate than average (78.4% compared to league-average 72.1%). He and the Guardians settled on a one-year, $2.25MM contract this offseason to avoid an arbitration hearing.

Bibee and Lively will be joined in Cleveland’s rotation by righties Luis Ortiz and Gavin Williams, as well as southpaw Logan Allen. The bullpen will have several long relief options, including veteran swingman Jakob Junis, prospect Joey Cantillo and former standout righty Triston McKenzie, who’s looking to bounce back after a dismal 2023-24 run and rocky spring training. McKenzie suffered a UCL strain back in 2023 and avoided surgery but has not pitched anywhere close to the same level since sustaining that elbow injury.

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Cleveland Guardians Ben Lively Tanner Bibee

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View Comments (12)
Post a Comment

12 Comments

  1. SODOMOJO

    7 months ago

    Just don’t get whatever Mookie got and we’re good, bud

    3
    Reply
  2. Old York

    7 months ago

    Guy gets paid and he can’t be bothered to show up for Opening Day? Kids nowadays…!

    2
    Reply
    • SODOMOJO

      7 months ago

      His tummy hurts.

      Reply
      • Bucket Number Six

        7 months ago

        Tuff life yeah Bibbe

        Reply
  3. Prospectnvstr

    7 months ago

    How many of you (us) go to work with a stomach virus (aka stomach flu)? It’d be very uncomfortable & (probably) impossible to be effective today.

    5
    Reply
    • Jobu's Rum

      7 months ago

      @Old York is a resident troll.

      2
      Reply
    • Soto should bat first.

      7 months ago

      The mound is not a good location for a Hershey Squirts episode.

      Reply
  4. jimd-2

    7 months ago

    This flu could also be contagious. Letting this run it’s course at the beginning of a 162 game season is fine. Many employers wouldn’t want the employee anywhere near other employees.

    2
    Reply
  5. CKinSTL

    7 months ago

    I’d sure like to watch this one from here in St. Louis.. but it is blacked-out. And the MLB app isn’t working anyway, so I guess it doesn’t matter.

    1
    Reply
    • Soto should bat first.

      7 months ago

      That’s like a double blackout.

      Reply
  6. Dock_Elvis

    7 months ago

    I heard it was his day before taking the mound as usual Chipotle. Figures.

    Reply
  7. MLBTR needs to hire editors

    6 months ago

    There shouldn’t be a comma after “or.” Literally no reason for one.

    Reply

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