Shane Bieber Returns to Blue Jays on $16MM Option

Shane Bieber has surprisingly exercised his $16MM option to remain with the Blue Jays, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. He’s passing on a $4MM buyout,securing an extra $12MM to play a second season in Toronto.

This decision removes one of the more appealing starting pitchers from the free agent market. Bieber was in the midst of Tommy John surgery rehabilitation when he first became a free agent last offseason. He signed a two-year deal with the Guardians, the only institution he’d previously known, with an opt-out clause after the first season. Bieber was on a minor league rehab assignment when the trade deadline arrived. Cleveland, believing they were no longer contenders, traded him to Toronto for pitching prospect Khal Stephen.

The Blue Jays made a noteworthy risk-reward move at the deadline. They traded a promising prospect for a potential rental starter who hadn’t pitched in an MLB game in over 14 months. The gamble paid off, as Bieber returned to form as a solid #3 starter, mirroring his performance with the Guardians in 2023. He made seven regular season starts, posting a 3.57 earned run average across 40 1/3 innings. Bieber struck out 23.3% of opposing hitters, while maintaining an excellent 4.4% walk rate. He appeared fully healthy, averaging 92.6 MPH on his four-seam fastball – his highest velocity as 2021.

Key Takeaways

• Shane Bieber will return to the Blue Jays for the 2025 season after exercising his $16MM option.
• His decision removes a quality starting pitcher from the free agent market.
• The Blue Jays acquired Bieber at the trade deadline in a risk-reward move that proved triumphant.
• Bieber demonstrated he had fully recovered from Tommy John surgery, averaging 92.6 MPH on his fastball.