The Cleveland Guardians placed rookie right-handed starting pitcher Tanner Bibee on the injured list Monday, effectively ending his standout season.
Bibee departed after 5 1/3 innings on Saturday night against the Texas Rangers with what the team called hip tightness.
According to the team’s website, Bibee, 24, “joins Aaron Sele as the only two pitchers in AL/NL history to begin a career with 23 or more games of at least five innings pitched and three or fewer earned runs allowed within their first 25 career games.”
Entering Monday, the Guardians were seven games back of Minnesota in the American League Central with 12 remaining, but manager Terry Francona was impressed with Bibee this season.
“The kid competes,” Francona said. “He’s learning to turn a lineup over, which you don’t see a whole lot in today’s game, especially with young guys. He pitches to the middle of the order. … I think this kid’s future is really, really bright.”
In a corresponding move, Cleveland recalled right-handed reliever James Karinchak from Triple-A Columbus.
Bibee ends the season with a 10-4 record, a 2.98 ERA in 25 starts and 141 strikeouts in 142 innings.
–Field Level Media
