The Cleveland Guardians have strung together three straight victories, maintaining their lead atop the American League Central. The pressure now falls on struggling right-hander Tanner Bibee to extend that run Saturday night as the Guardians continue their three-game home series against the Minnesota Twins.
Bibee (0-5, 4.58 ERA) will square off against Twins righty Joe Ryan (2-3, 3.72) in a bid to reverse his early-season fortunes. The Guardians are 1-7 in Bibee’s eight starts, though five of those outings could have ended in wins had the offense provided adequate support. Cleveland has scored just three total runs in the four contests where Bibee allowed two runs or fewer.
“I feel like what the hitters do is their own business, and what I do on the mound is completely separate,” Bibee said. “It’s unrelated. I’ve said it before — I’m playing a different sport than the other nine guys on the field.”
Recent trends favor Bibee. The Guardians are 10-4 against the Twins since last season and 22-9 at home against them over the past four years. Bibee has never lost to Minnesota, going 2-0 in nine starts since 2023 with 55 strikeouts over 51 1/3 innings. His 2.98 ERA against the Twins is his best against any AL opponent.
Home comfort also works in Bibee’s favor. He owns a 1.66 ERA at home this season compared to an 8.15 mark on the road, with four starts in each setting. “Some places give you more confidence, and some places you just feel right,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “For Tanner, it’s about continuing to pound the strike zone. It’s his two fastballs putting him in the right spots, plus a good change of speeds.”
The Twins have lost 16 of their last 21 games, including Friday’s 6-4 series-opening defeat. Cleveland rookie Travis Bazzana delivered his first major league homer, scored twice, and stole two bases, partially offsetting Minnesota’s season-high 13 hits.
Twins center fielder Byron Buxton continued his power surge with his team-leading 12th home run, moving within three of MLB co-leaders Aaron Judge (Yankees) and Munetaka Murakami (White Sox). All 12 of Buxton’s homers have come since April 13, ending a 14-game homerless drought to start the season, which followed his participation in the World Baseball Classic with limited at-bats.
“Bux is swinging the bat really well,” Twins manager Derek Shelton said. “He was a little rusty in spring training. He didn’t get many at-bats in the WBC, so it took him some time to get going.”
Shelton was less pleased with another moment from Friday’s game. All four umpires declined to call obstruction on Guardians runner Angel Martinez after he made contact with Twins second baseman Luke Keaschall, leading to a fielding error in a four-run first inning. “The rule is hinder and impede,” Shelton said. “There was contact, but the umpiring crew didn’t think he was hindering.”
Ryan has lost five straight decisions against the Guardians over the past three years, dropping his career record against them to 3-5 with a 2.94 ERA in 12 games. He carried a no-hitter into the seventh at Cleveland on Sept. 8, 2021, for his first major league win.
