The Cleveland Guardians defeated the Detroit Tigers 2-1 despite only having their starter, Tanner Bibee, on the mound for five innings.
Bibee had to be removed from the game with just 67 pitches.
He had enough gas in his arm to complete one or two additional frames and give the bullpen more of a breather over a tough stretch of games.
But he was removed with an apparent injury and everybody at Progressive Field began to panic thinking about worst-case scenarios.
Fortunately, everybody in the Guardians, including the player himself, explained that it was just a bad case of cramping.
“This time, everything kind of cramped up.” @CleGuardians starter Tanner Bibee felt his “quads and hammies” (hamstrings) tighten up and was frustrated by having to leave a 2-1 win over the Tigers after just five innings,” Bally Sports Cleveland tweeted.
"This time, everything kind of cramped up."@CleGuardians starter Tanner Bibee felt his "quads and hammies" (hamstrings) tighten up and was frustrated by having to leave a 2-1 win over the Tigers after just five innings.#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/UK4nMJVhtw
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) July 25, 2024
That, of course, is excellent news for the team and the pitcher.
The Guardians, after losing Shane Bieber (injury), Logan Allen, and Triston McKenzie (performance) from their staff, can’t afford an injury to Bibee.
Despite the disappointment of having to leave the game after just 67 pitches, Bibee and Cleveland were able to enjoy a masterful performance by the bullpen: Scott Barlow, Tim Herrin, Hunter Gaddis, and Emmanuel Clase combined to pitch four scoreless frames with five strikeouts.
There is no official word from the organization, but given the nature of his injury, there is every reason to think Bibee will be able to make his next scheduled start without issues.
It seems the Guardians dodged a bullet, one that would have forced them to bring in at least two starters ahead of the deadline.
NEXT: Guardians Win Another Close Game Against Tigers Thanks To Elite Bullpen
