The Toronto Blue Jays made a splash trading for a $26 million pitcher, and one writer thinks the team will regret it.
The Toronto Blue Jays went out at Thursday's trade deadline, making a significant splash. Toronto traded for Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Shane Bieber.
The 30-year-old pitcher was a hot trade target at the deadline even though he hasn't pitched in a Major League Baseball game since the spring of 2024.
Bieber started two games for Cleveland last year before suffering Tommy John Surgery. The 2020 CY Young award winner has been working his way back and should be ready to pitch for the Blue Jays soon.
Toronto took a significant risk trading for a pitcher who hasn't played in the big leagues for almost two seasons. Zachary Howell from ClutchPoints thinks the Blue Jays are going to regret trading for Bieber.
"Bieber has not thrown a single pitch for the Guardians in 2025. Cleveland's former ace underwent Tommy John surgery more than a year ago, effectively ending his 2024 campaign before it started. His recovery has been a slow grind, but Bieber started his rehab assignment in the minor leagues before he got traded. Now, he finds himself in a new situation and environment," Howell wrote. "Trying to figure out what the Blue Jays' expectations are is tricky. When they are at their best, Schneider's stars can shine as bright as anyone in the league. However, the team's limitations has many fans skeptical about how real their title chances are. They could just as easily be sent home in the first round as make it to the World Series and bring a title back to Toronto."
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Bieber signed a two-year $26 million contract with Cleveland this past offseason, and his second year is a player option. There is a good chance Bieber will opt out of his deal this winter, which means he might only be in Toronto for the next two months.
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Category: Baseball
