Bibee Pitches Well But Guardians Bullpen Collapses in 9-4 Loss to Red Sox

Tanner Bibee left Sunday's game with a lead for the first time in 13 starts, but the Cleveland bullpen allowed six runs in the seventh inning as the Guardians lost to the Boston Red Sox 9-4 at home. Bibee gave up a leadoff home run to Jarren Duran on the fifth pitch of the game, the fourth time he has surrendered a first-inning homer this season.

He allowed one hit from the second through fourth innings before Boston loaded the bases with one out in the fifth.

Mickey Gasper's sacrifice fly tied the score at 2-2, and Wilyer Abreu's RBI single put the Red Sox ahead 3-2. Cleveland answered in the bottom of the fifth when José Ramírez hit an RBI double after Boston left fielder Masataka Yoshida lost a fly ball in the sun, and Chase DeLauter's single drove in Ramírez to give the Guardians a 4-3 lead.

Bibee threw 90 pitches, 62 for strikes, and allowed three runs on six hits with five strikeouts and one walk.

He retired Boston in order in the sixth before turning the game over to the bullpen. Tim Herrin faced a bases-loaded jam in the seventh. Home plate umpire Austin Jones called a full-count fastball to Abreu a ball, allowing Connor Wong to score and tie the game at 4-4.

Boston then recorded three straight hits and scored five more runs to take a 9-4 lead. Bibee is now 0-7. He became the first pitcher in the Cleveland franchise's 125-year history to go winless in his first 13 starts.

He is also the 12th opening day starter since 1976 to make at least 10 starts without a win before June, according to Sportradar, and has the most such starts among that group. The other three opening day starters since 1976 with at least 12 starts and no wins before June were Kyle Freeland in 2025, José Ureña in 2018, and Carl Morton in 1976.

Bibee's seven losses are tied for the second most among the 12 opening day starters in that category.

4 percent, going 59-for-133. The Guardians used their final challenge when Stuart Fairchild struck out looking in the fifth inning. "I don't have any control over it.

All I can do is go out there, try to throw up some zeros and whatever happens, happens," Bibee said. Catcher Austin Hedges said wins and losses are not a meaningful statistic for starting pitchers. "So I know he's not worried about it and we're definitely not worried about it," Hedges said.