Blue Jays get Shane Bieber in an exchange with Guardians

The Blue Jays continue to reinforce their workforce by adding the former Cy Young hinder, Shane Bieber, in an exchange with the guardians.

The Toronto Blue Jays acquired Shane Bieber in an exchange on Thursday with the Cleveland Guardians, betting that the former fan of the Cy Young Award You can quickly recover from your rehabilitation.

The Blue Jays, League leaders, sent to right pitcher Khal Stephenselected in the second round of the draft by Mississippi State, to the Guardians in the exchange, announced on Thursday.

Bieber won the Cy Young of the American League in the 2020 seasonshortened by the COVID-19and it was one of the best opening launchers in the league consistently before suffering an elbow injury that ended the season after two openings in 2024. He renewed his contract with the Guardians during the low season for a salary of $ 10 million in 2025 and a player option of $ 16 million in 2026.

Bieber, 30, has not launched in the Major Leagues since he underwent a Tommy John surgery In April 2024, but has carried out three rehabilitation openings in the minor leagues in recent weeks. The right pitcher launched four tickets at his most recent departure on Tuesday with Double-a Akronstruggling seven in 57 pitches, and it was expected that Cleveland’s rotation would be reincorporated at some time in August.

The Blue Jays now have a very deep rotation, with Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Eric Lauer, José Berríos and the future member of the Hall of Fame Max Scherzer, in a year in which they have risen to the top of the classification of the East Division of the American League. If Bieber returns to a level similar to the one he showed with the Guardians, it could be an important option for the first, second or third game of a playoff series.

There is no financial adjustment in Thursday’s exchange, according to Fuentes, since Toronto will assume the rest of what is owed to Bieber for the rest of his contract.

Bieber has a 62-32 record with an effectiveness of 3.22 in parts of seven seasons with the guardians. The two times All-Star is the second acquisition of pitching this week for the Blue Jays, who also acquired the powerful reliever Seranthony Domínguez in a exchange on Tuesday with the Baltimore Orioles.

The Blue Jays, who arrived at Thursday’s game with a four -game advantage over the New York Yankees at the top of the East Division of the American League, have a collective effectiveness of 4.27, the worst ninth in the major.

The prospect Khal Stephen has had a promising season, with an effectiveness of 2.36 in 18 appearances, including 17 openings.

Rival executives informed AM850 that, in recent days, the Guardians, who lost their star closer Emmanuel Class due to an MLB investigation earlier this week, have indicated that they are ready to exchange players. Gardener Steven Kwan could also be in the process of exchange before the deadline of MLB exchanges at 6 PM ET on Thursday.