Blue Jays make first major move of the offseason, reportedly retaining playoff star
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Blue Jays make first major move of the offseason, reportedly retaining playoff star
"Bieber was acquired by the Blue Jays at the 2025 trade deadline when Toronto sent Khal Stephen, their number 5 prospect, to the Cleveland Guardians. The 2020 Pitching Triple Crown winner was on the verge of returning from Tommy John Surgery before Toronto brought him over. Shane would make his Blue Jays debut on August 22 against the Miami Marlins, where he threw six innings, striking out nine batters with one earned run. He would finish the regular season with a 4-2 record, a 3.57 ERA, and 37 strikeouts in seven starts."
"In the postseason, Bieber made five appearances and proved why he was important to get at the trade deadline. The two-time All Star pitched 18.2 innings with a 3.86 ERA, 18 strikeouts and six walks. His most impressive start came during Game 4 of the World Series, where he limited the Los Angeles Dodgers to one run en route to the Blue Jays' 6-2 win to even the series."
"With Bieber's opting in, the starting rotation maintains most of its strength that helped take Toronto to the World Series. As of now, the most likely candidates for the starting rotation would be Trey Yesavage, Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, and Jose Berrios. The fifth spot remains up in the air and could be filled with names like Eric Lauer, Louis Varland (with former experience as a starter), or Ricky Tiedemann if Toronto decides to call up a prospect."
Shane Bieber has opted into his $16-million player option for 2026 to remain with the Toronto Blue Jays and will enter free agency after the 2026 season. Toronto acquired Bieber at the 2025 trade deadline from the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for prospect Khal Stephen. Bieber returned from near-complete recovery from Tommy John surgery and debuted August 22, posting six innings with nine strikeouts and one earned run. He finished 4-2 with a 3.57 ERA and 37 strikeouts in seven regular-season starts and added 18.2 postseason innings with a 3.86 ERA, including a one-run World Series Game 4 start. His decision preserves most of Toronto’s rotation for 2026.
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