Blue Jays 2026 40-man Roster Review: Shane Bieber needs to find his pre-Tommy John form

"The right-handed pitcher won the American League Cy Young in 2020, authoring a 1.63 ERA and 2.07 FIP in 77.1 innings pitched, en route to the Triple Crown. He threw just 96.2 innings in 2021, then had a strong 2022 season with a 2.88 ERA and 2.78 FIP in 200 innings pitched. After that, injuries started to take over, as Bieber threw just 128 innings in 2023, where he had a 3.80 ERA and 3.87 FIP."

"After two scoreless starts to begin the 2024 season, Bieber underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the rest of the season. When the Blue Jays acquired the right-handed pitcher on Jul. 31, 2025, he hadn't pitched in a big league game since Apr. 2, 2024. He also suffered a setback in his first rehab assignment in late May, meaning he didn't start pitching again until about two weeks before the trade."

"After the Jays acquired him, Bieber made three rehab appearances with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, before finally making his debut on Aug. 22, where he went six innings of one-run ball, giving up just two hits and striking out nine. This happened to be Bieber's best start as a Blue Jay, at least until the playoffs, as he finished the season with a 3.57 ERA and 4.47 FIP in 40.1 innings pitched."

"Bieber appeared in five postseason games, finishing with a 3.86 ERA and 4.26 FIP in 18.2 innings pitched. Starting with the good, the Blue Jays' season was essentially on the line in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series, Bieber struck out eight in six innings of work, giving up just two earned runs in a crucial 13-4 win. He started Game 7 of the same series, holding the Seattle Mariners to two earned runs in three and two-third innings."

Shane Bieber won the American League Cy Young in 2020 with a 1.63 ERA and 2.07 FIP in 77.1 innings, then logged 96.2 innings in 2021 and 200 innings in 2022 with a 2.88 ERA. Injuries reduced his 2023 workload to 128 innings with a 3.80 ERA. He began 2024 with two scoreless starts before undergoing Tommy John surgery and missing the season. Bieber returned in 2025, suffered a late-May rehab setback, and resumed pitching about two weeks before being traded to Toronto on July 31. After three Triple-A rehab outings he debuted Aug. 22 (six one-run innings, two hits, nine strikeouts), finished 2025 with a 3.57 ERA in 40.1 innings, and posted a 3.86 ERA in 18.2 postseason innings with both impactful and inconsistent performances.

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