Proper-handed pitcher Shane Bieber opted into his $16 million participant possibility with the Toronto Blue Jays for the 2026 season, selecting to forgo free company, a supply advised ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The 2020 American League Cy Younger Award winner signed a two-year, $26 million take care of the Cleveland Guardians final winter whereas he was nonetheless rehabbing from elbow surgical procedure. As he was set to return to the massive league workforce following 4 minor league rehab begins, Cleveland dealt him to Toronto on the commerce deadline for prospect right-hander Khal Stephen. Stephen was later ranked by ESPN because the Sixtieth-best prospect in baseball.
Bieber made seven begins within the 2025 common season for Toronto, posting a 3.57 ERA. He then made 5 postseason appearances, together with profitable Sport 4 of the World Sequence in opposition to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Bieber’s efficiency this 12 months was according to his earlier seven seasons, all with Cleveland, together with gaining some fastball velocity (as much as 92.7 mph on common) to return nearly all the way in which again to what it was in 2021 (92.9 mph).
For his profession, Bieber, a two-time All-Star, has a 66-34 file in 141 begins with a 3.24 ERA and 995 strikeouts. He received the Cy Younger Award within the 60-game 2020 season, when he completed with an 8-1 file, a league-low 1.63 ERA and AL-best 122 strikeouts.
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel contributed to this report.