The Toronto Blue Jays made a big move to acquire Shane Bieber from the Cleveland Guardians at the trade deadline.
Bieber is rehabbing from Tommy John Surgery and had another rehab outing for the Buffalo Bisons on August 3. The right-hander went five innings, allowing two runs on five hits and striking out six, throwing 62 pitches.
After the outing, Bieber told Sportsnet that he’s feeling great and is getting closer to his MLB return.
“It's just another step in the right direction. Maybe a little bit of nerves, but nothing crazy. Probably nothing compared to what it's going to feel like pitching in Toronto,” he said afterwards. “I feel really good. I feel excited to continue to progress. Excited to be in a fresh situation. That always injects a little bit of excitement. So, everything's going well. Body, arm, mind — everything feels great.”
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Bieber hasn’t pitched in Major League Baseball since April 2, 2024. The right-hander could be closing in on a mid-August return and be an important starter down the stretch for the Blue Jays, who are in first place in the AL East.
Bieber is 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA in 134 starts in his career. He won the AL Cy Young Award in 2020.
Bieber has a $16 million player option for 2026, but the focus is on returning to the majors and helping Toronto have a deep postseason run.
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