The Toronto Blue Jays acquired former American League Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber from the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday.
Bieber has not pitched in an MLB game since April 2, 2024. He underwent Tommy John surgery after just two starts in 2024 and has been rehabbing since.
In return, Cleveland will receive right-handed pitcher Khal Stephen, ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 5 prospect in the Blue Jays system.
Bieber, 30, threw 57 pitches on Tuesday in a rehab start for Double-A Akron. He allowed one run on three hits, including a solo home run. struck out seven and walked none.
In all, he made four rehab starts, and had a 1.59 ERA in 11 1/3 innings. He gave up two runs on seven hits and a walk and struck out 21 batters.
Cleveland selected Bieber in the fourth round of the 2016 MLB Draft, and he spent seven seasons with the club, earning two All-Star selections. He won the 2020 AL Cy Young Award in the pandemic-shortened season with an 8-1 record and 1.63 ERA, also winning the pitching Triple Crown.
Overall, his record with Cleveland was 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA in 136 games (134 starts).
He holds a $16 million player option for 2026.
The 6-foot-4 Stephen, 22, was selected in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Mississippi State. He’s pitched at three levels this season, most recently with Double-A New Hampshire, and is 9-1 with a 2.06 ERA in 18 games (17 starts). With 99 strikeouts and 18 walks, he has a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 5.50.
–Field Level Media
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