Guardians-Mariners Opening Day starters: Bibee vs. Gilbert
The Mariners are returning to T-Mobile Park for the first time since the American League Championship Series, a venue that saw some of the postseason’s most iconic moments of 2025, while the Guardians will look to springboard their surging finish to last October, when they came out of nowhere to win the AL Central.
Making this matchup even more intriguing is that this is MLB’s only Opening Day head-to-head that features two defending division champions.
Pitching has been a premium for both clubs in this era, as Cleveland and Seattle have been among the sport’s best in developing homegrown arms. And that will all be on display with an imposing matchup between Logan Gilbert and Tanner Bibee.
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GUARDIANS: RHP Tanner Bibee
Previous Opening Days starts: 0
2025 season: 12-11, 4.24 ERA in 31 starts
Bibee was tabbed to make his first career Opening Day start in 2025, but a bout with food poisoning led to him being scratched hours before he was set to take the ball in the Guardians’ season opener against the Royals. This year represents another opportunity.
Bibee emerged as the Guardians’ staff anchor in 2024, and he received a well-earned contract extension this past March. He ultimately did not have the season he wanted to in ‘25, during which he logged career highs in ERA, FIP (4.34) and WHIP (1.23). Bibee noted this spring it was likely the most adversity he endured since he was in college.
For all the ups and downs in 2025, Bibee was extremely durable. He tied his career high in starts and set a new personal benchmark for innings pitched (182 1/3). He was stellar over four starts in September (1.30 ERA in 27 2/3 innings) to help the Guardians surge to the AL Central title. He led Cleveland to its only postseason victory -- a 6-1 win over the Tigers in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series -- by allowing one run in 4 2/3 innings.
“I sat and reflected a lot about this last year this offseason,” Bibee said earlier this spring. “This year definitely feels like way more of a clean slate. It feels like there's a lot less stress to it. I'm excited to go out there [this season].”
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Mariners: RHP Logan Gilbert
Previous Opening Day starts: 1
2025 season: 6-6, 3.44 ERA in 25 starts
Gilbert’s baseball card numbers paint the picture of another solid season, but also one in which his durability was tested. The towering ace spent seven weeks on the injured list from late April into mid-May with a Grade 1 right elbow flexor strain, marking the first time of his career he’s been on the shelf.
He rebounded to pitch in some huge games down the stretch, including a relief appearance during the 15-inning marathon in the AL Division Series vs. Detroit, as well as two more starts in the ALCS vs. Toronto. But he was admittedly not at his most effective in those final outings, which has added more motivation to press on to what he hopes is a fully healthy 2026.
“That's always something I took a lot of pride in, and it could almost be a little unhealthy way too,” Gilbert said, “because there's only so much you can control. And that was kind of part of my identity as a baseball player. And then when you end up on the IL, you kind of have to figure things out again. Like, 'Oh, wait, I'm human, just like anybody else.' So that's always the biggest goal for me is 32 starts, 200 innings.”
At his best, Gilbert is one of the sport’s best workhorses, having led MLB with 208 2/3 innings in 2024.