Guardians name Tanner Bibee opening day starter

Tanner Bibee will be the Cleveland Guardians' opening day starter on March 27 against the Kansas City Royals. Bibee had a strong season last year and has performed well during spring training. Manager Stephen Vogt has yet to fill the other four spots in the starting rotation. Gavin Williams and Ben Lively seem to be secure in their positions. Lively has a 3.55 ERA this spring and is motivated after missing the playoffs last year. Williams has impressed with 21 strikeouts in 12.1 innings and has shown improvement with his fastball. The Guardians traded for Luis Ortiz last December. However, Ortiz has struggled this spring with an 11.66 ERA. Despite his rough start, the team remains hopeful he can contribute positively. Triston McKenzie is another contender for a starting role. He has struggled this spring with an 8.18 ERA and is out of options, making his situation tricky. The Guardians might keep him in the rotation despite his inconsistent performance. Logan Allen and Joey Cantillo are also in the mix. Allen has outperformed McKenzie with a low ERA, but both pitchers may end up in the minor leagues if the team decides to keep others. Cleveland is exploring various options to handle their pitching staff. The team used 14 different starters last season, prompting them to create backup plans in case of injuries. Vogt noted the competition in camp has made decisions challenging but beneficial for the team’s depth.