Report: Blue Jays acquire Shane Bieber from Guardians

It’s trade deadline day in baseball and the Toronto Blue Jays are making a significant move by acquiring starting pitcher Shane Bieber from the Cleveland Guardians.

Toronto is reportedly sending pitching prospect Khal Stephen back to Cleveland in the deal. Stephen is the No. 5 prospect in the Blue Jays system.

This is a potentially risky move for Toronto as the 30-year-old Bieber hasn’t pitched in the majors this season due to elbow surgery that has kept him out of the lineup since April 2024.

If Bieber can get back to form, this could be a huge win for the Jays. The righty won the AL Cy Young Award in the 2020 pandemic-shortened season after posting a 1.63 ERA with an 8-1 record in 12 starts. In 136 career games (134 starts), Bieber has a 3.22 ERA with 958 strikeouts in 843 innings.

Bieber struck out seven with no walks over four innings in his latest rehab start and he is believed to be close to returning to the majors. He is making $10 million this season and holds a $16 million player option in 2026.