Tanner Bibee to get start for Guardians; hopes to keep season alive

CLEVELAND — There are very few tricks one can pull out of a hat at this stage of the game. The Guardians and Detroit Tigers have extensive knowledge of each other after facing off six times since Sept. 16. Cleveland's Game 2 starter today today in its American League Wild Card series is well aware of the familiarity. "It's a chess game," Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee said. "Are they going to change their approach? Are they going to keep it? Are they going to switch pitch-to-pitch, batter-to batter? It's a thing to navigate and that's what we'll figure out." Bibee, who is 12-11 with a 4.24 ERA in 31 starts this season, said it's not like he can come up with a new pitch at this point in the season. He said he's got his head on straight and finished 3-0 in September. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder allowed four earned runs in the four starts. "I feel good right now," Bibee said. "For me, I'm in the best head space. (I'm) getting my pitches in the zone where I want them. (Today's game) turns into competing, and the competitive fire will be there. (I've) got to fill the (strike) zone and attack them." The young veteran got playoff experience last season. "I think one thing that was being said to me last year before the start, 'Don't give them too much credit because you earned your way here as well,'" he said. Bibee will be facing right-hander Casey Mize, who finished 14-6 with a 3.87 ERA in 28 starts for the Tigers. At this point last season, Detroit manager A.J. Hinch had to have a tough conversation with Mize when he told him he was left off the postseason roster. Hinch took him into the Guardians' bullpen in center field and broke the news. "So, yeah, it was tough," Mize said. "It's that moment and that place that helped change the pitcher and player that I am, so I'm glad it happened to me in a way. But, yeah, it's cool to not have those conversations as well." Hinch joked with Mize and asked if he wanted to go back to the bullpen and talk before the game. "I said, 'Do you want to walk out to the exact spot where I told you you weren't on the roster?' " the manager said. "He can exorcise that demon and be done with it. He said no. As soon as I told Casey he was on the roster, Tarik (Skubal) came over and gave him a high five. We had a funny moment there." Mize didn't factor in Detroit's 4-3 loss to Boston last Friday, but he allowed only two runs on six hits and no walks, while striking out six. "That was really good to see on a lot of fronts," Hinch said. "The fastball was legit. The split was there. His breaking ball was there. He was in complete control. He's thrown the ball as well as he has at any point of the season." Contact Bob Finnan at rfinnan30@gmail.com.