Tanner Bibee Allows 6 Runs in 4 Innings, Gives Up 3 Homers Against White Sox

Q: With data proving his sinker is his best pitch, why did Bibee abandon it in his latest disastrous outing?

He didn’t appear to abandon the sinker by design; the stronger reading is that his White Sox blowup was driven by poor execution and a return to hittable fastballs, not a data-backed decision to move away from his best recent formula. The broader evidence is clear: Bibee has been better when the sinker leads his mix. In starts since late May where the sinker became his primary fastball, he posted markedly better results, and he himself said the pitch had become a “real weapon” that opened up everything else. Analysts also found that when the sinker is featured, his four-seamer plays up as a surprise pitch, with its whiff rate nearly doubling. That is why Sunday’s outing was so troubling. Bibee gave up six runs in four innings, allowed at least three homers for the third time this year, and managed only one strikeout. Season-long indicators point to the same problem: too much hard contact, too many air balls, and too many home runs. Those are exactly the risks that grow when his four-seamer becomes more predictable or when his sinker command slips. The available reporting does not show a clear strategic explanation from Bibee or Cleveland for ditching the sinker in that game. The more likely answer is game-level feel and execution: he either did not trust the pitch enough that day or failed to command it early, and the outing unraveled before he could get back to the sinker-first approach that had fueled his recent turnaround.

3 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Jul 5

Six runs on six hits and one walk over four innings left Bibee with a no-decision Sunday against the White Sox, after he managed only one strikeout.
Three home runs fueled the damage, marking the third time this season the Cleveland right-hander has allowed at least that many long balls in a start.
One strikeout set a season low for the 27-year-old, making the outing a sharp setback after quality starts in five of his previous six appearances.
Bibee heads into a road start in Miami carrying a 4.06 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and an 84:30 K:BB across 106.1 innings.