The Cleveland Guardians are the reigning AL Central winners heading into the 2025 season, although early projections don’t reflect this. Cleveland is not expected to repeat, according to Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA standings and FanGraphs. In fact, they are expected to finish as low as fourth place, trailing the Twins, Royals, and Tigers. But Tanner Bibee, the Guardians’ pitcher, is unconcerned.
“Projections are projections,” Bibee noted in a recent interview. “No one predicted what we were going to do last year and we did it.”
The Guardians surpassed expectations in 2024, going 92-69 and reaching the ALCS before losing to the New York Yankees. Cleveland defied expectations with a young roster and first-year manager Stephen Vogt at the helm. Bibee feels the same underdog mindset might drive another long run.
Tanner Bibee and the Guardians look to dominate AL Central
“The past few years we’ve always been in a position to prove people wrong,” Bibee told the crowd. “Playing the game like that is much easier than being the lead dog. It’s a lot more enjoyable to come out on top when you were meant to be the underdog.
That approach is crucial to the Guardians’ culture, notably their famed pitching development. Bibee, who was 12-8 last season with a 3.47 ERA and 1.12 WHIP, praised the organization’s ability to inspire confidence in its pitchers.
“It’s the mindset,” Bibee explained in an interview with MLB Network. “The way they instill confidence in what you do well.”
The Guardians’ pitching depth will be critical in 2025, particularly after losing key position players during the offseason. Andrés Giménez and Josh Naylor’s trades left voids in the lineup, but the organization filled them with veteran Carlos Santana at first base. Meanwhile, José Ramírez and Steven Kwan remain the offense’s pillars.
Finally, the Guardians understand that chatter and projections mean little once the season begins. As Ric Flair once stated, “To be the man, you gotta beat the man,” and until another AL Central team steals Cleveland’s division championship, Bibee and company will continue to play with a chip on their shoulder.
