The Guardians held a 2-1 lead over the Twins on May 19 at Progressive Field with Tanner Bibee on the mound in the top of the seventh inning. Max Kepler led off the top of the Minnesota seventh with a double. Bibee got the next two batters, but then walked Alex Kiriloff. At that point, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt walked to the mound. Normally a mound visit by the manager means a pitching change, but Vogt told Bibee, “You’re going to get this guy.” and left his young pitcher in the game. Bibee, 25, proceeded to strike out Carlos Santana to complete the frame and turn things over to the bullpen in a game the Guardians won, 5-2. Now here he is, starting Game 1 of the ALDS on Oct. 5 against the Tigers at Progressive Field. The schedule calls for Bibee to throw the first pitch of the best-of-five series at 1:08 p.m. “I had a rough start to the year, but I think that outing was definitely the turning point of my season,” Bibee said Oct. 4 in a news conference at Progressive Field. “I feel like it was just the validation it can give you in a big moment like that, in a big game against a division rival. “This is going to be roughly the same thing. I feel like we had a pretty good crowd that day, too. Obviously not as much on the line, but it’s very similar.” Game 2 of the ALDS is set for Oct. 7 at Progressive Field. It and the Oct. 5 opener are sold out. Bibee was 12-8 in the regular season with a 3.47 ERA. More importantly, because the Guardians’ bullpen is so dominant, the Guardians were 22-9 in 2024 in games Bibee started. “Tanner from the beginning, had a great year (2023) last year,” Vogt said Oct. 4. “He put himself on the map and (this season) went through some early season — not going to call them struggles, but had a few hiccups for the first time. “Since then he bore down. He’s competitive. This kid wants the ball in big moments. And Tanner wants to be the guy. He believes that he’s No. 1. And we do, too. And really excited to see him showcase that in the playoffs.” Bibee was 1-1 in four starts against the Tigers in 2024. But it is worth noting the Guardians last faced Detroit on July 30. At that point the Tigers were 52-57. They made a flurry of deals at the July 30 trade deadline and finished 34-19 to head into the playoffs as the hottest team in baseball They are still hot after sweeping the Astros in two games in the wild-card series. “You always think that at one point in the season a team will get hot, whether it’s a short stretch or long stretch,” Bibee said. “They’re a really good team. “I think they are similarly built to us. Very grindy. They’ll wear you down, wait till they get their pitch. They’re not going to punch out a lot and are going to put the ball in play.” Tanner Bibee delivers against the Twins during the first inning May 19. (Phil Long – The Associated Press) Hard to believe, but just two years ago, Bibee made 12 starts for the High-A Lake County Captains and 13 for the Double-A Akron RubberDucks. Now he is about to pitch the biggest game of his life — so far. Bibee said he gets nervous before every start. Those butterflies fluttering in his stomach as game time approaches will morph into condors. “I don’t know if I’ll be more nervous, but I feel like there will definitely be a lot more adrenaline,” Bibee said. “I feel like the bigger crowds you have, I feel like naturally, wherever you are, I feel like you’re going to have more adrenaline.” The Tigers are using relief pitcher Tyler Holton as an opener and make Game 1 a bullpen game, Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said. Matthew Boyd will start Game 2 for the Guardians. Tigers ace Tarik Skubal will start Game 2 for the Tigers. Tigers at Guardians What: ALDS Game 1 When: 1:08 p.m., Oct. 5 Where: Progressive Field TV: TBS Radio: WTAM AM-1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, WARF-AM 1350