1 of 5 | Right-handed pitcher Shane Bieber owns a 3.22 career ERA. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
The Toronto Blue Jays acquired Cy Young Award winning pitcher Shane Bieber through a trade with the Cleveland Guardians, the teams announced Thursday.
The Blue Jays sent right-handed pitcher Khal Stephen to the Guardians in exchange for Bieber.
Bieber hasn’t appeared in an MLB game since he underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2024. The two-time All-Star, former triple-crown winner and 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA over two starts last season for the Guardians. He allowed 10 hits and issued one walk over 12 innings last season.
Bieber, 30, went 0-0 with a 1.59 ERA over four minor league appearances this year. He has a 62-32 record with a 3.22 ERA over 136 career appearances, including 134 starts.
The right-handed pitcher’s Cy Young Award campaign came during the COVID-19 pandemic shortened 2020 season. He went 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA and 122 strikeouts — leading MLB in all of those categories — over a dozen starts.
Bieber signed a one-year, $10 million deal, which included a $16 million option for 2026, in December. The pact also included a $4 million buyout.
Stephen, 22, was a second-round pick by the Blue Jays in the 2024 MLB Draft. He went 9-1 with a 2.06 ERA over 18 minor league appearances this year. He was the Blue Jays’ No. 5 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.
The Blue Jays (64-46) beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-8 on Wednesday the snap a four-game losing streak. They remain in first place in the American League East, four games ahead of the second-place New York Yankees (59-49).
They will host the Kansas City Royals (54-55) at 7:07 p.m. EDT Friday in Toronto.
The Guardians (54-54) sit in second place in the American League Central, nine games behind the division-leading Detroit Tigers (64-46). They will host the fourth-place Minnesota Twins (51-57) at 7:10 p.m. Friday in Cleveland.
