Tanner Bibee was seen as the premier guy on the Guardians' pitching staff heading into this past season.

Just a few starts in, that view had completely flipped on its head, and many were left wondering what happened with Bibee.

After being fully pulled from the rotation towards the end of the playoffs, it seems that the Guardians and Bibee are in a rough spot. This offseason now becomes the most important one of Bibee's tenure with the Guardians.

There are a lot of choices that manager Stephen Vogt has to make regarding his starting rotation this upcoming season, the biggest one being who ends up being the odd man out of it. Bibee has a few months to get himself back on track and earn his way back into one of the top spots alongside Gavin Williams and Parker Messick.

Vogt still believes in Bibee and thinks he could come back even better and return to being a solid piece in the rotation.

One thing Bibee already has working in his favor is being honored as the Gold Glove winner for pitchers in the American League. He now needs to take that and rework some of his pitches to strengthen his arsenal again.

His 4.36 ERA this past season was the highest of his career, while also pitching the most innings of his career and giving up the most runs. He struggled throughout the season and there is really no other way to put it.

His cutter and four-seam fastball were his two worst statistical pitches this past season. Those were two huge pitches in his arsenal early in his career and how he made a name for himself in the Guardians rotation.

Retooling those is exactly what the focus this offseason should be. If Bibee can find those two pitches again, he can easily find his form once again from seasons past.

Those two pitches were what set up his changeup and curveball nicely, and with him struggling with the heaters, it felt like Bibee and either Austin Hedges or Patrick Bailey were struggling to call his pitches.

It is also hard to believe that, with a very focused and dedicated offseason from Bibee and Carl Willis, Bibee couldn't find his form again. Willis is widely regarded as one of the best pitching coaches in the league, and fans should have full belief in him figuring out Bibee and his struggles.

The game of baseball is cruel, but with the leap that Williams and Messick took this past season, Bibee feels forgotten. I expect nothing less than another big jump from both of them this offseason. Can Bibee match them and take another leap?

Bibee has a lot to prove coming off of his performance in 2026. If he cannot turn things around again will this be the last season that Bibee is in Cleveland?