Getty
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – MARCH 26: Tanner Bibee #28 of the Cleveland Guardians pitches during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on March 26, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The Cleveland Guardians have their answer on Tanner Bibee.
Bibee will start Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers after being cleared following a brief shoulder issue, according to Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com. What initially looked like a potential concern after Opening Day has been deemed minor, and Cleveland is keeping its rotation intact.
Shoulder scare proves minor setback
Bibee raised concern during his first outing of the season against the Seattle Mariners.
The 27-year-old exited before the sixth inning after dealing with right shoulder inflammation that built throughout the start. Trainers met him on the mound before he left for further evaluation.
Even with the early exit, Bibee limited damage. He allowed three solo home runs — the only runs he gave up — across five innings, finishing with seven strikeouts and two walks in Cleveland’s 6–4 win.
From the start, Cleveland’s updates have been pointing in this direction.
Manager Stephen Vogt said Bibee showed good strength during postgame testing, and the team never indicated the injury was serious.
Bibee completed a 26-pitch bullpen session Saturday without issue, which became the key checkpoint in determining his availability. After getting through that session cleanly, the Guardians gave him the green light to take the mound Tuesday.
What this means for Guardians
Keeping Bibee on schedule is a great sign.
Early in the season, teams often lean cautious with starting pitchers. In this case, Cleveland saw enough to move forward without adjusting the rotation.
That avoids turning to a fallback option and keeps continuity in place for a staff that relies on Bibee at the top.
It also doubles down that the shoulder issue was never viewed as a long-term concern.
Bibee is set to face a reigning World Series Champion Dodgers lineup that went 93–69 last season and remains one of the most dangerous offenses in baseball. The matchup also features Shohei Ohtani on the opposing side, adding another layer to the story.
Even fully cleared, this is not an easy spot.
Early indicators like his velocity and command will be worth monitoring, especially given the shoulder ailment. The Guardians could still manage his workload depending on how he looks in-game.
For now, though, everything stays on schedule.
Bibee is taking the mound tonight, and the Guardians are moving forward with their ace after a big 4-2 win over the Dodgers on Monday.
Derek Hryn Derek Hryn is a writer for Heavy.com. He has extensive experience covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA football and basketball, along with providing expert fantasy football analysis for DraftKings and SB Nation. His work has been featured at Sports Illustrated, USA Today, NBC Sports, The New York Post, and others. More about Derek Hryn
More Heavy on Guardians
Loading more stories