Cleveland Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber will have Tommy John surgery, and miss the rest of the season. This is a huge blow for both the Guardians, and Bieber.
What’s Next For Bieber?
Bieber is a former Cy Young-winning pitcher, who’s had a phenomenal start to the season. In two starts he’s yet to allow a run while totaling twenty strikeouts on a 0.917 WHIP. Bieber, while formally an elite pitcher, isn’t coming off his strongest year, and a few years removed from his 2020 Cy Young Award. He was hoping to cash in on a strong performance this year before hitting free agency.
In a contract year, this season meant a lot for Bieber. This injury certainly doesn’t help. An injury like this will likely prevent Bieber from getting a big payday after the season. He may not be able to come back from this injury at the same level. The severity of Tommy John surgery is well documented. He’ll need to focus on recovery and prove he’s healthy. He may need to host a few showcase bullpens for scouts before teams look to sign him.
Best bet for Bieber is to sign a short-term deal, potentially one year, just to prove he’s healthy. Perhaps a return to the Guardians for a year would work, as there’s familiarity. The New York Yankees could also be in the mix. The Yankees need starting pitching, and their pitching coach, Matt Blake, worked with Bieber in Cleveland. Bieber’s could also look to go home to California, with any number of the Californian teams looking for pitching. Many teams could take a chance on him, but likely on a short-term, low-risk deal.
What’s Next for Cleveland?
The Guardians had a strong start to the season, sitting at 6-2. This loss hurts, and will cause them to lose a lot in the pitching department. The team was leaning on Bieber to carry a heavy load, and without him, they could struggle.
The Guardians will continue to play the season without an immediate move, seeing if someone can step up. They play in a weaker division, so they could potentially still compete without Bieber. If nobody steps up, however, they might sell. There was thought this may happen prior to the season, and this injury could lead them in that direction.
There are plenty of trade targets on the Guardians. Star third baseman Jose Ramirez would have almost every team interested. This would fetch a strong return for the Guardians. Closer Emmanuel Clase would also get a strong return for. The team may also look to sell off some veteran players and forward with a young core.
The injury to Shane Bieber is unfortunate for both team and player, and could severely hinder the future of both.
