Oh, baby baby baby, oh!
The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired right-handed starting pitcher Shane Bieber from the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for pitching prospect Khal Stephen.
Bieber, 30, is a former Cy Young winner and has not pitched in the Major Leagues this season as he rehabs from Tommy John surgery.
He threw 57 pitches on Tuesday July 29 at the Double-A level, and is expected to require several more rehab starts before making his Blue Jays debut.
On the surface, it is a curious move as Toronto does not currently have a spot or need in the rotation. It is possible he could be added to the team when rosters expand in September and the club could employ a 6-man rotation to provide extra rest to its group of veteran starters.
If he can return to health and form, he is a candidate to start playoff games for the Blue Jays. He made two post-season starts for Cleveland in 2022, allowing three earned runs over 13.1 innings with 15 strikeouts to four walks.
Bieber has a $16 million player option for 2026. It is believed he is more likely to decline that than accept it, so this could be a rental for the Blue Jays. Of course, they could sell him on their club and program in the meantime and sign him to a larger extension.
Stephen is a 22-year old right-handed pitching prospect heading to Cleveland. He is the #5 prospect in the organization, according to MLB. He was Toronto’s second round ick (59th overall) in 2024. He has a 2.08 ERA in 91.2 IP in the minor leagues this season.
The Blue Jays are likely to continue exploring additional relief arms to add the the bullpen, and perhaps also a right-handed bat before Thursday’s 6:00 PM (ET) trade deadline.
Jays Balk 