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The Toronto Blue Jays know how to welcome new members to the team, and Shane Bieber got a chance to laugh a little before even joining them, thanks to a joke that's followed him for years. The 30-year-old pitcher, acquired from the Cleveland Guardians just before the MLB trade deadline, is once again tied—at least by name—to pop star Justin Bieber. And for Shane, it's nothing new.
The Blue Jays quickly joined in on the fun. Shortly after the deal was made official, the team's social media account posted a photo of Justin Bieber wearing a Blue Jays jersey, playing off the long-running confusion between the two Biebers. It's far from the first time the pitcher has heard the comparison—and he doesn't mind it.
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 31, 2025
“I mean, I've been hearing it since college,” Shane Bieber said in an interview, according to The Star.
The name confusion has been part of his career from the start. During MLB's 2018 Players' Weekend, he even wore the nickname “Not Justin” on the back of his jersey.
“A lot of people like to make the joke and try to mistake me for him. So, I thought I'd make it obvious and put it on the back of my jersey to let everyone know I'm not Justin Bieber,” he explained.
That same season, a Topps baseball card mistakenly printed “Justin Bieber” on one of his rookie cards. The error went viral, and the company joined the fun with a tweet saying, “Is it too late to say sorry?” Bieber shared the mistake with humor.
Nice 🙂 @Topps pic.twitter.com/FW8R1Ckzri
— Shane Bieber (@ShaneBieber19) August 3, 2019
“You know it's there. And it's kind of fun and it's kind of fun to play along with,” he said.
While Bieber won't take the mound immediately due to his Tommy John surgery in 2024, Toronto made the move with the future in mind. He's under contract for $10 million this year with a $16 million player option for 2026. For now, he joins the Blue Jays as one of the most recognizable names in baseball, even if people still call him the wrong one.
