The Cleveland Guardians hadn’t played a single regular-season game yet, but already faced adversity hours before their opener when Tanner Bibee was scratched shortly before his start due to food poisoning.
The team went with Ben Lively instead, and he delivered. Lively allowed three runs on four hits across five innings, and the Guardians went on to beat the Kansas City Royals 7-4 in the 10th. Lively was expected to serve as the team’s No. 4 starter coming out of spring training, but was pushed into action earlier than expected with Bibee sidelined.
Steven Kwan knocked in the go-ahead run in the 10th on a double that scored Brayan Rocchio. Designated hitter Kyle Manzardo hit a key two-run homer to give the Guardians a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning. Manzardo also came through with a two-run double in the 10th to finish with three hits and four RBIs.
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The Royals forced extra innings on Michael Massey’s sacrifice fly in the ninth.
Bibee, 26, was named the team’s Opening Day starter after he put up a 3.47 ERA over 173 2/3 innings in 2024. It was going to be Bibee’s first career Opening Day start.
Bibee emerged as a future star during the 2023 MLB season, posting a 2.98 ERA in 25 starts after being called up. On other teams, that performance might have put Bibee in the conversation to start Opening Day in 2024, but the Guardians opted for veteran Shane Bieber instead. That wasn’t a surprising move, as Bieber had started every Opening Day for the Guardians since 2020.
With Bieber sidelined to start the 2025 MLB season, that honor was supposed to shift to Bibee. Instead, Lively received the call on short notice. It’s unclear when Bibee will make his season debut. The Guardians have an off day Friday before continuing their opening series against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday. That might give Bibee enough time to rest and recover. The Guardians have updated their starting pitchers to TBD for Saturday’s and Sunday’s games, leaving the door open for Bibee to start one of those contests.
Cleveland is looking to repeat as American League Central champs after winning 92 games last season. Losing Bibee on Opening Day definitely stings, but it shouldn’t affect the team’s season-long goal of another postseason run.
