When the Toronto Blue Jays traded a top-five prospect in their farm system for injury-prone Shane Bieber at the end of July, plenty of fans expressed a healthy amount of skepticism. The 2020 Cy Young had not pitched in an MLB game since April of last year and was a massive question mark going into the final month of the 2025 regular season. Sometimes, though, a leap of faith can take a ballclub a long way.
Toronto's gamble is paying off in the playoffs. Although he has posted a couple of brief and rocky outings this postseason, Bieber has stepped up for the American League champions in critical situations. One night after the Blue Jays lost an 18-inning heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the World Series, the right-handed pitcher excelled in the most important start of his career.
Bieber allowed one run on four hits in 5.1 innings on Tuesday night. The two-time All-Star walked three batters and ran into some trouble in the sixth inning, but he did his part to help send the Blue Jays back to Rogers Centre for a Game 6. While players are told to have a short memory, this team needed someone to pick it up after Monday's brutal 6-5 loss. Bieber obliged, and maybe made himself a little more money in the process.
The 30-year-old has a $16 million player option for next season, and based on what he has accomplished with Toronto this year, Bieber will likely opt for free agency. The 2022 Gold Glove winner has plenty of time to mull over his future, however.
Shane Bieber and the Blue Jays are clearly focused on besting the Dodgers in the final week of the 2025 MLB season.
