After being acquired in a midseason trade, Shane Bieber will be returning to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2026.
Per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, Bieber has exercised his $16 million option for next season.
Bieber started the 2025 campaign with the Cleveland Guardians after signing a two-year, $26 million contract in December 2024. The 30-year-old was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and spent the first four months of the season on the injured list.
When it looked like Cleveland had fallen out of playoff contention in July, the Guardians traded Bieber to the Blue Jays for pitching prospect Khal Stephen.
Bieber, who had made four rehab starts in the minors prior to the trade, debuted for Toronto on Aug. 22. He showed no real lingering effects from the injury, finishing with a 3.57 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 35.1 innings.
There was some assumption that as long as Bieber returned to the mound healthy and looked effective, it would be an easy decision to turn down the player option. This was his first chance to hit true free agency because last offseason he was in the midst of rehabbing.
Instead, Bieber is giving the Blue Jays another year at a relative discount given how well he played for them and how thin the market was for starting pitchers in free agency this offseason.
The Blue Jays could also extend Bieber on a long-term contract. They would seem to have plenty of appeal to him after making the playoffs with a good roster foundation in place, led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Whatever path Bieber decides to take beyond 2026, the Blue Jays can take comfort in knowing their rotation going into next season will be led by the two-time All-Star, Kevin Gausman and José BerrÃos as they look to challenge for the top spot in the AL East once again.
