MLB Odds: Shane Bieber set for Blue Jays debut on Friday

It’s Bieber mania in Blue Jays land. Not Justin, but Shane Bieber, who will make his Jays debut on Friday as Toronto opens a three-game set in Miami.

Toronto took a gamble acquiring Bieber at the trade deadline. The former Cy Young winner hasn’t thrown a pitch in the majors since April 2, 2024 when he was a member of the Cleveland Guardians before he underwent Tommy John surgery.

There’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to Bieber if you’re a Blue Jays fan. The 30-year-old is a two-time All-Star, a Gold Glove winner and he won the AL Cy Young in 2020 when he led the American League in wins and ERA and led all of baseball in strikeouts.

Overall, Bieber is 62-32 in his career with a 3.45 ERA. He has strong statistical numbers across the board, holding opponents to a .236 batting average, .281 on-base percentage and .380 slugging percentage.

Now, Bieber realistically hasn’t put up top level statistics since 2022, but he’s look great in Triple-A this season. In particular, he’s throwing heat, with his average fastball velocity at 92.8 m.p.h, which is the best it’s been since he won the Cy Young in 2020.

If Bieber is truly back at the top of his game, he’s the difference between Toronto boasting a good rotation and Toronto boasting an elite rotation. He’s above average in both strikeouts and walks and he’s able to pitch late into games, which is key in the playoffs.

Bieber is a game-changer, just don’t expect him to belt out any songs on the mound.