The most cursed pitcher in baseball takes the mound for Cleveland. Bibee owns a 3.75 ERA and a 0-6 record, which is the kind of stat line that should be illegal. The Guardians have lost nine of his 10 starts this year, averaging 1.33 runs of support in those losses. At some point the baseball gods owe him one — Monday looks like as good a night as any.
Bibee has actually been even better lately. His May ERA is 3.28, best among Cleveland starters, and he's strung together three straight strong outings, including a 6.2-inning, 1-run gem against the Twins and a quality start in Detroit on May 20. Cleveland enters this one having won 4 of 5 and looking like the team their record (32-23) says they are.
On the other side: Zack Littell, who was supposed to stabilize the Nationals rotation and has instead been a launching pad. He's tied his career worst in homers allowed and has surrendered an MLB-high 11 of them through his first handful of starts. The underlying numbers somehow look worse than the 5.83 ERA. The Nats just lost Jake Irvin to a 15-day IL stint with a shoulder strain, so they're stuck running Littell out there and hoping.
- Day-To-DayTyler Baum DH — Baum has not pitched this year due an undisclosed injury.
- Day-To-DayTravis Sykora SP — Sykora will undergo a UCL reconstruction on his right elbow in two weeks, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
- Day-To-DayJarlin Susana RP — Susana underwent surgery last week to repair a right lat tear, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports.
- 15-Day-ILJake Irvin SP — The Nationals placed Irvin on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to a right shoulder strain.
- 15-Day-ILCole Henry RP — Henry (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester this weekend, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILMax Kranick RP — The Nationals signed Kranick (elbow) to a one-year, $800,000 contract Tuesday and placed him on the 15-day injured list.
- 60-Day-ILDJ Herz SP — Herz (elbow) will throw to live hitters Friday at the Nationals' spring training facility in Florida, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILTrevor Williams SP — Williams (elbow) began pitching off a mound at the Nationals' spring training complex this weekend, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayCarlos Hernandez RP — Hernandez (shoulder) began his rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on Friday.
- 10-Day-ILGabriel Arias SS — no
Washington is 27-27 and treading water in a way that says "sell at the deadline." Their rotation is a MASH unit — Herz, Williams, Gray, Stuart, plus Irvin now — and the bullpen behind Littell is going to get worked early if the homer parade continues. The Guardians don't need to do much offensively to win this; they just need to do anything.
Cleveland is a -169 favorite for obvious reasons. The total sits at 8, which feels a touch high if Bibee pitches the way he has all month, and a touch low if Littell serves up his usual two or three souvenirs. Lean Guardians, lean under Bibee's half of the game, and hope baseball finally remembers who Tanner Bibee is.