The Cleveland Guardians begin the quest for another American League Division crown, and hopefully a World Series, on Thursday.
However, the current ace of the pitching staff won't make his season debut until later this series or possibly even next week.
Last week, Tanner Bibee was announced as Cleveland's Opening Day starter against the Kansas City Royals.
However, the team announced just a few hours before the game that the right-hander was scratched from his start.
Take a deep breath, Guardians fans. Thankfully, it's not an injury pushing Bibee's start to the season. The starting pitcher is dealing with an illness, which he clearly cannot pitch through.
Tanner Bibee has been scratched from today's Opening Day start due to acute gastroenteritis.
— Tim Stebbins (@tim_stebbins) March 27, 2025
Ben Lively will now start the season opener for the Guardians in KC.
It's unclear right now exactly how this will affect the Guardians' rotation for the first series of the season.
We do know that Ben Lively will take the mound for the Guardians for Opening Day on Thursday.
Cleveland has an off-day on Friday, and Gavin Williams was supposed to start Saturday, but now the starting pitcher for the second game of the series is "to be determined."
Obviously, it is disappointing that Bibee will not pitch for the Guardians on Opening Day. The 26-year-old has routinely stepped up for the organization and the team and deserves to be the first starting pitcher of the season.
But the good news is that this absence does not appear to keep Bibee off the mound for a long time.
Perhaps he'll even make an appearance against the Royals before the Guardians leave Kansas City.
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