Tanner Bibee has had some trouble keeping the ball in the park this season for the Cleveland Guardians.
That might not bode well against the New York Yankees, who lead the majors in home runs.
Looking to avoid a second straight rough outing, Bibee will also try to help the Guardians win their fifth straight Tuesday night when he opposes the visiting Yankees.
If Bibee (1-2, 5.85 ERA), Cleveland’s de facto ace, continues his early 2025 trend, he could be in for a strong fifth start. In the right-hander’s first and third starts this year, he did not allow a run over 10 1/3 combined innings — both against the Kansas City Royals. However, in starts two and four, Bibee yielded a combined 13 runs on seven homers — which entering Monday were third-most home runs allowed in the majors.
Three of those long balls, and six of the runs, came in 5 2/3 innings on Thursday in a 6-2 loss at Baltimore. Bibee has also walked 11 batters while striking out 15 in his 20 total innings.
“I’ve got to fill the zone, not walk people and not let the ball go over the fence and give up homers,” Bibee said.
In three career starts against the Yankees, including two during the 2024 American League Championship Series, Bibee is 0-1 with a 4.38 ERA. However, he has allowed only two homers, to Anthony Volpe and Giancarlo Stanton (the latter of whom is out injured).
New York superstar Aaron Judge went 0-for-3 with a strikeout and was hit by a pitch while facing Bibee during the ALCS. Judge, who is batting .384 but is homerless in five straight games, has never faced Bibee during the regular season.
The Yankees increased their big-league-leading home run total to 40 when Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jasson Dominguez each a hit two-run shot during a 6-4 series-opening loss at Cleveland on Monday. New York had won six of seven entering the contest but fell behind 6-0 as Cleveland star Jose Ramirez clubbed a three-run shot and added an RBI single while Kyle Manzardo also went deep.
Ramirez, who is 10-for-28 (.357) in his past seven contests, snapped a 14-game homer drought Monday. Including the postseason, He is batting .381 with two homers and eight RBIs in his past five home games vs. New York (regular season and postseason).
“You’re happy with yourself, just out there and having fun (when playing the Yankees), Ramirez said after the game.
Manzardo, meanwhile, has homered in three straight games and is 6-for-18 in his past five contests.
“This is the product of Manzo working his tail off every single day,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said.
Scheduled Yankees starter Will Warren (1-0, 5.17 ERA) will face the Guardians for the first time in his career. He hopes to be more efficient than his most recent start, Thursday against the Rays at New York’s spring training home in Tampa. The right-hander was pulled after throwing 53 pitches, having allowed a run, two walks and four hits in 1 2/3 innings of what ended in a 6-3 Yankees victory.
“Just missing a little off the plate,” Warren said afterward. “Just the execution wasn’t quite where we wanted it. … It comes down to: You don’t have to be too fine.”
Chisholm is batting just .161, but his seven home runs are tied with Judge’s total for the team lead.
–Field Level Media
