Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt opened up about why starting pitcher Tanner Bibee never appeared during the American League Championship Series against the Tampa Bay Rays following the team's elimination in Game 6 on Monday night.
Bibee, Cleveland's Opening Day starter, led the team in starts and innings during the regular season but did not throw a single pitch in the six-game ALCS. Vogt revealed that the Guardians intended to preserve the right-hander for a potential extra-inning situation, but the opportunity never materialized.
“Had we advanced the usage could have looked a lot different…. We wanted Tanner to pitch, the spot never presented itself,” said Vogt.
Stephen Vogt on Tanner Bibee sitting out the ALCS: “Had we advanced the usage could have looked a lot different…. We wanted Tanner to pitch, the spot never presented itself” #Guardians
Video courtesy #MLB pool feed pic.twitter.com/orBmKFbqxq
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) October 20, 2026
The manager explained that Bibee was being held back as a long-relief option who could cover multiple innings if a postseason game extended beyond nine frames. However, none of the six ALCS games went into extra innings, leaving Cleveland without an opportunity to use him in the role they had envisioned.
The Guardians elimination meant Bibee's postseason ended with just one appearance, which came in Game 4 of the American League Division Series versus the Chicago White Sox. He walked two of the three batters he faced, and both runners eventually scored. In spite of that difficult outing, he remained on the roster throughout the ALCS.
The decision became more striking during Cleveland's 7-3 loss in Game 6, when Vogt deployed eight pitchers. Shawn Armstrong started after pitching on each of the previous two days, becoming the first pitcher in postseason history to start after appearing in games on both preceding days. After Armstrong surrendered a hit in the second inning, Tim Herrin entered but allowed the runner to score.
Later, with the Guardians trailing 3-1 in the seventh, Vogt turned to closer Cade Smith. Smith surrendered two runs, including a home run by Junior Caminero, extending the Rays' advantage. Hunter Gaddis also allowed a two-run homer late in the contest.
Article Continues BelowBibee's regular-season performance made his absence all the more surprising. The 27-year-old made all 33 of his starts, recorded a team-high 188 innings and finished with 19 quality starts, Cleveland's highest total by a pitcher since Shane Bieber in 2022.
However, Bibee's September downturn saw him finish with a 7.36 ERA across five starts, preceding a challenging postseason outing against the White Sox. The Guardians also received effective postseason work from Foster Griffin, who struck out 15 batters over 10 1/3 innings, while Daniel Espino and Joey Cantillo contributed to the pitching staff.
Although Vogt acknowledged that Bibee's role could have changed had Cleveland reached the World Series, the Guardians season ended before the team could put its plan for its Opening Day starter into effect.