Tanner Bibee’s 2026 season on the mound was a rough one, but his work in the field could still leave him with something to celebrate.
The Guardians right-hander, who led the club with 188 innings during the regular season, was left out of Cleveland’s postseason pitching plans after a year that included career-worst marks in ERA at 4.36 and home runs allowed with 29. His second half was especially difficult, and he wound up throwing just 0.1 innings in October after the Guardians were eliminated by the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Championship Series on October 19.
Even with those struggles, Bibee has put himself in position for a major defensive honor. He is an AL Gold Glove Award finalist, and the competition includes the Rangers’ Jacob deGrom and the Angels’/Blue Jays’ José Soriano.
Bibee’s case is backed by the numbers. He finished ahead of both pitchers in Outs Above Average at +6 and Defensive Runs Saved at +5, and he already added his second career Fielding Bible Award a few days ago. Guardians insider Tim Stebbins pointed to those metrics while laying out the team’s top offseason award candidates.
The defensive résumé goes beyond the headline stats, too. Bibee committed only three errors all season, with one coming while fielding and two on throws, and he also handled the running game well.
So while his year as a pitcher was one he’d probably rather forget, Bibee still has a real shot to finish it with his first Gold Glove when the award is announced Sunday night.
In Other News...
Guardians Have One Prospect Who Could Change Their 2027 Lineup
The Guardians are heading into 2027 with the kind of young talent pipeline that can keep a contender from fading, and Ralphy Velazquez sits near the center of that conversation. After a strong 2026 season built in part on rookie production, Cleveland is looking at prospects who could help carry that momentum forward, and Velazquez has already put together the sort of minor league offensive showing that makes evaluators believe he can bring real power to the lineup.
Jaison Chourio and Khal Stephen are in the mix as well, giving the organization more than one avenue to keep refreshing the roster. Chourio could end up fighting for an outfield job, while Stephen is viewed as a pitching prospect with real upside, but Velazquez is the name that stands out as the one most likely to alter how the Guardians construct their everyday offense when 2027 arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Pitching Duo Just Earned Recognition For Clevelands October Run
Gavin Williams and Cade Smith just added another line to a postseason run that already put them in the spotlight, earning spots on MLBs All-Postseason team for their work in the 2026 playoffs. For Cleveland, it was a fitting nod to a pair of arms that carried a heavy load when the games mattered most, with Williams setting the pace as one of the most dominant starters in the field and Smith handling leverage innings out of the bullpen.
Williams led all postseason pitchers with 33 strikeouts while working to a 2.30 ERA over 15.2 innings, and Smith was nearly as sharp in relief with a 2.38 ERA and 14 strikeouts over 11.1 innings. The recognition underscores how much the Guardians leaned on both pitchers during October, and it also serves as a reminder that Clevelands playoff push was built as much on pitching depth as on any one breakout moment. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Offseason Push Could Hinge On One Contender-Making Trade
The Guardians offseason search for a lineup upgrade is already taking shape around a familiar front-office question: do they chase a proven name, or try to buy into a player whose best years still appear to be ahead? Several possible trade fits have surfaced, including Zach Neto, CJ Abrams, Jeremy Pea, Alec Burleson and Spencer Steer, each offering a different blend of upside, cost control and roster fit. For a club trying to improve for the seasons ahead, the appeal is obvious, especially when the goal is not just adding talent but finding someone who can grow with the core.
What makes the conversation more interesting is how those names line up with Clevelands needs. Some bring shortstop stability, others offer versatility or left-handed pop, and all come with contract situations that could make them more or less attainable. Nothing is close to official, and no deal has been made, but the fact that the Guardians are being linked to this kind of contender-making trade talk says plenty about the level of ambition being considered as the offseason unfolds. [Read more 🡒]