What's at stake for the Blue Jays and this player after surprising contract decision

"It's been just under a week since Shane Bieber decided he wanted to have a second shot at winning in Toronto and exercised his contract option to remain with the Blue Jays in 2026. The $16 million deal will get the 30-year-old through the 2027 season on a team friendly deal, in the hopes that he can cash in big time the following year."

"When compared to the rest of the field, Bieber is projected to be right up there with the best of the best in terms of his statistics this season. Via FanGraphs he's slated for a 3.86 ERA and 3.77 FIP. Numbers that line up with Michael King and Brandon Woodruff, while those stats are better than what is projected for Shota Imanaga and Merrill Kelly."

"While his numbers project to be slightly behind the perceived top three of Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease and Ranger Suárez, it's not by much and if teams were to miss out on any of those players, they could have been turning to Bieber as their next best fit. Which ones again, feels like Bieber may have left some money on the table as each of those guys is likely to make more than even the qualifying offer of $22-million."

Shane Bieber exercised his 2026 contract option to remain with the Toronto Blue Jays on a $16 million deal that covers him through 2027. The 30-year-old accepted a team-friendly contract with the intention of securing a larger free-agent payday later. The decision raises pressure on both Bieber and Toronto to deliver a strong 2026 season. Bieber returned effectively from Tommy John surgery and performed well in regular and postseason action. FanGraphs projects a 3.86 ERA and 3.77 FIP, placing him among high-quality starters though slightly behind the perceived top three, and market dynamics influenced his choice for guaranteed security.

Read at Jays Journal