Shane Bieber is running it back with the Blue Jays.
Faced with the chance to test free agency, the former Cy Young winner is returning to Toronto on his $16 million player option, according to multiple reports.
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The decision comes as a surprise to some as Bieber was projected to potentially command more money on the open market. Yahoo Sports projected Bieber as the 13th-ranked free agent this winter had he opted out.
But Bieber’s instead returning to a Blue Jays team that just fell excruciatingly short of a championship in a Game 7 loss in extra innings to the Dodgers in the World Series.
Bieber flashes former form in Toronto after Tommy John
Bieber, 30, won a Cy Young with the Guardians in 2020 in addition to two All-Star selections with Cleveland. He underwent Tommy John surgery after two starts in 2024, and that was the end of his six-plus-season stint pitching for the Guardians.
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His recovery carried over into the 2025 regular season, and the Blue Jays acquired him from Cleveland at the trade deadline, gambling that he could return to form for their postseason run despite not having pitched since 2024.
The gamble largely paid off. Bieber made seven starts down the regular-season stretch. He posted a 3.57 ERA and 1.017 WHIP with 37 strikeouts and seven walks in 40 1/3 innings pitched. He posted a 4-2 record in those starts and helped the Blue Jays win the AL East via a tiebreaker with the Yankees.
He posted a 3.86 ERA in the playoffs in five appearances, including four starts and went 2-1 as a starter. He produced wins in Game 3 of the ALCS and Game 4 of the World Series. He capped his postseason in unfortunate fashion by allowing Will Smith’s series-clinching home run in the 11th inning of Game 7.
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But his bigger-picture production was encouraging and inspired confidence that he could continue to regain his previous form in the aftermath of his surgery. He could still sign a long-term deal with the Blue Jays. Either way, he’ll be back in Toronto in 2025 and projects as a strong starter near the top of the rotation.