Tanner Bibee's High-Stakes Gambit: Can the Guardians' Ace on Short Rest Save Their Season?

As the Cleveland Guardians face elimination in the American League Championship Series (ALCS), the team's management is opting for a high-risk strategy that could either propel them to a sixth game or mark the end of their remarkable postseason run.

With their season on the line, the Guardians are sure to be aggressive with their bullpen, as they have throughout the 2024 postseason. But their plan will start with Tanner Bibee pitching on short rest and if the right-hander can offer four or five quality innings, that will go a long way toward forcing the ALCS back to New York for a sixth game.

This unorthodox strategy is partly driven by the team's bullpen depth and their impressive performances in recent games. The Guardians' relievers have consistently shown their ability to bail out the starting rotation, often by providing crucial innings in high-pressure situations.

Bibee, the Guardians' best starting pitcher throughout the regular season, was solid in Game 2 of the ALCS, ultimately finding himself on the wrong side of a close 2-1 loss. The young right-hander, however, has demonstrated that he can handle the challenges of short rest. Notably, during spring training, Bibee often pitched on short rest as part of his development process.

The Guardians' decision to start Bibee on short rest, though perceived as a gamble by some observers, has reasonable grounds. Manager Terry Francona pointed out that Bibee's unique physiology allows him to recover more quickly from starts. Additionally, in his last outing, Bibee had only 89 pitches, significantly fewer than his average of around 95 pitches during the regular season.

While there are genuine reasons for optimism surrounding Bibee's potential performance on short rest, the Guardians' success will also heavily rely on their lineup. Throughout the ALCS, the Guardians' offense has struggled to exert its normal level of dominance against the New York Yankees' deep rotation.

The deciding factor for the Guardians' hopes of advancement could also rest on the quality of their starting rotation's outings following Bibee. Scheduled starters Triston McKenzie and Shane Bieber could be pivotal in a potential sixth or seventh game. A well-orchestrated bullpen plan, therefore, is crucial for Cleveland.

In a do-or-die situation like this, there's only one goal: win a game and send the series back to New York. This daring strategy will be closely scrutinized as the Guardians fight to extend their season and force another game in the intense American League Championship Series.