The Guardians’ offseason is already taking shape around tough decisions, and Tanner Bibee has emerged as one of the more surprising names to watch.
Cleveland reached the American League Championship Series this past season, but the run ended there, with the Guardians falling in six games to the Tampa Bay Rays. That loss pushed the organization into a pivotal winter, one in which the front office has to sort through multiple roster issues while trying to build a team that can get back to the World Series.
A lot of the early trade buzz around Cleveland has centered on outfielders, but MLB analyst Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report added a different wrinkle by naming Bibee as a possible trade candidate. That would be a notable turn for a pitcher who has developed into a quality starter for the Guardians, even if the team may be willing to move him now.
Bibee’s role in the postseason offered one clue. He was barely used, making just one relief appearance in the ALDS across 11 games. That limited usage suggested a clear lack of trust from Cleveland, and it also raises the possibility that he could bring back a solid return if the Guardians decide to deal him.
There’s also the contract angle. Cleveland signed Bibee to a five-year, $48 million extension before the 2025 season, and he still has three years left on that deal. He is set to make $7.4 million next season, a number that could matter for a club that finished dead-last in payroll this past season.
Bibee is under contract through the 2029 season, and the remaining $39 million on the deal could look appealing to a pitching-needy team if he keeps performing. At 27, he still fits the profile of a young starter with value, and when he’s on, his stuff is plenty fun to watch.
In 2026, Bibee posted a 4.36 ERA in 33 starts, throwing 188.0 innings and striking out 148 batters. If Cleveland does put him on the market, there should be no shortage of interest. The bigger question is whether the Guardians are really ready to move on from him this soon.
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Gavin Williams Just Became A Bigger Guardians Question Than Expected
Gavin Williams has gone from promising arm to one of the most important pieces in Clevelands pitching picture, and the 2026 season only sharpened that view. He handled a massive workload between the regular season and postseason, struck out 281 batters, and backed it up with a 3.76 ERA in the regular season and a 2.16 mark in October. The bigger takeaway for the Guardians is how he got there, with a fastball that played better and a knuckle-curve that gave him another weapon to lean on.
At 27, Williams is still under team control through 2029, which should make him a straightforward building block on paper. In practice, though, a pitcher with this kind of production and this much runway naturally invites bigger questions about long-term cost, extension talks, and whether Cleveland views him more as a cornerstone or a trade chip if the market gets interesting. For a club that always has to balance winning now with what comes next, Williams has become a lot more than just another young starter in the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
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The debate only gets louder from there, because Cleveland also had Cade Smith near the top of the first BBWAA Reliever of the Year vote, where he finished second behind Louis Varland. MLBs announcement that Bryan Baker won the Mariano Rivera award as the ALs top closer gives the discussion another layer, and for Guardians fans, it is easy to see why this season now comes with a real snub debate attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Bullpen Need Has Put A Proven Veteran On Clevelands Radar
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For the Guardians, the fit is easy to see. They have room to add to the relief group and have been looking for depth that can soak up meaningful innings, especially from the left side. Hill is also being pursued by the Yankees, Mets, Giants and Dodgers, which suggests this could turn into a broader market for a pitcher who still has value even if he is no longer at his peak. [Read more 🡒]