The Toronto Blue Jays have had a very disappointing season. After coming to within two outs of their first World Series title since 1993 last October, the Blue Jays have fallen to last place in the American League East and are trending hard towards selling at the trade deadline.
They will likely look to trade anybody with an expiring contract that won’t be back in 2027. One of those pieces is former Cy Young award winner Shane Bieber. The right-hander has dealt with various injuries over the past several years and has struggled this season, going 2-2 with a 5.74 ERA in just seven starts.
However, Tim Britton, Johnny Flores Jr., Chad Jennings and Eno Sarris of The Athletic have him among the top 60 trade candidates with the deadline just days away, and they had Bieber as a possible fit for the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros.
“Last year, Bieber didn’t make his debut until mid-August, the result of setbacks in his return from Tommy John surgery. No mind, Bieber saved his best for last, helping propel the Blue Jays to Game 7 of the World Series. Despite some October shine, Bieber accepted his $16 million player option instead of testing the market, a wise decision given that he was placed on the 60-day IL to open 2026. So far, the results haven’t been there, and yet, his past pedigree as a Cy Young Award winner and his postseason track record make him an intriguing deadline option.”
Toronto Blue Jays’ Shane Bieber Named Trade Fit for Three Contenders
The Astros, Cubs and Orioles are all teams in need of starting pitching. Baltimore and Houston don’t really have an established ace in its respective rotations, and while Bieber is far removed from being that type of pitcher, he still has a lot of potential and a strong track record.
He has pitched in the postseason frequently too, so any contender could use his experience in its rotation. The Cubs have been hit hard by starting pitching injuries. Cade Horton is out for the season, and Justin Steele won’t be returning to the Cubs as a starter this year, though they do at least have some solid names in their rotation.
But it seems highly unlikely that Bieber will cost much at this point. He still needs to rebuild his value, and a change of scenery could help him as he looks to return to being the pitcher he once was.
Who Needs Shane Bieber the Most?
Of the three teams that Bieber is being linked to, the Astros and Orioles likely need him the most, simply because the Cubs at least have some reliable names in their rotation. Houston is only one game back of the third AL wild card and has an even .500 record.
Baltimore is 53-56, but only 2 1/2 games back in the wild card race. Neither team has what can be truly considered an ace-level starting pitcher, but it will be interesting to see if any other teams potentially enter the fray to acquire Bieber’s services.
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