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Buster Olney
The Toronto Blue Jays acquired Shane Bieber in a commerce Thursday with the Cleveland Guardians, betting that the previous Cy Younger Award winner will have the ability to rapidly bounce again from damage rehabilitation.
The primary-place Blue Jays despatched right-handed pitching prospect Khal Stephen, a second-round draft decide from Mississippi State, to the Guardians within the commerce, which was introduced Thursday.
Bieber gained the American League Cy Younger within the COVID-shortened 2020 season and was persistently one of many league’s greatest beginning pitchers earlier than struggling a season-ending elbow damage after two begins in 2024. He re-signed with the Guardians within the offseason for a $10 million wage in 2025 and a $16 million participant choice in 2026.
Bieber, 30, has not pitched within the majors since present process Tommy John surgical procedure in April 2024 however has made three minor league rehab begins in latest weeks. The fitting-hander labored 4 innings in his most up-to-date outing Tuesday with Double-A Akron, putting out seven on 57 pitches, and was anticipated to rejoin Cleveland’s rotation sooner or later in August.
The Blue Jays now have a really deep rotation, with Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Eric Lauer, Jose Berrios and future Corridor of Famer Max Scherzer, in a yr wherein they’ve surged to the highest of the American League East standings. If Bieber comes again to be something near what he was with the Guardians, he could possibly be a high-end choice for Sport 1, 2 or 3 of a playoff sequence.
There isn’t any monetary adjustment to Thursday’s commerce, sources mentioned, with Toronto taking over the rest of what’s owed to Bieber for the remainder of his deal.
Bieber is 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA over components of seven seasons with the Guardians. The 2-time All-Star is the second pitching acquisition this week for the Blue Jays, who additionally introduced in hard-throwing reliever Seranthony Dominguez in a commerce Tuesday with the Baltimore Orioles.
The Blue Jays, who entered Thursday with a four-game lead over the New York Yankees atop the AL East, have a group ERA of 4.27, the ninth worst within the majors.
Stephen has had a promising season, compiling a 2.36 ERA in 18 appearances that embrace 17 begins.
Rival executives advised ESPN that, in latest days, the Guardians — who misplaced star nearer Emmanuel Clase to an MLB investigation earlier this week — have signaled they’re able to commerce away gamers. Outfielder Steven Kwan additionally could also be on the transfer earlier than MLB’s commerce deadline at 6 p.m. ET Thursday.