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Shane Bieber, when healthy, has shown himself to be one of the best pitchers in all of MLB. And the Toronto Blue Jays certainly believe in his capability of returning to full strength, as they pulled off a trade for him with the Cleveland Guardians with the hopes of him helping in their quest to lock down the AL East and their ultimate goal of winning a World Series title.
Nothing, of course, is guaranteed for Bieber, especially after he missed most of the 2024 season after requiring Tommy John surgery due to his elbow injury. Pitchers — even those as talented as Bieber is — tend to need time to round into form after missing over a year's worth of games while being on the mend.
Nonetheless, Bieber cannot be any more excited about his eventual return. He is on the cusp of pitching in the big leagues yet again, and while he's no longer doing so for his former home Guardians, he still cannot wait to step foot for the first time in MLB as a member of the Blue Jays.
“It’s been a long road. I try not to get too emotional thinking about it. I'll have time in the off-season to let it all process. But it's definitely going to be a bit emotional getting back out there,” Bieber said, per Arden Zwelling of SportsNet.
Bieber made his fourth rehab start on Sunday (his first with the Blue Jays organization) and threw 62 pitches in five innings of work, allowing two runs on five hits, striking out six while walking just one.
Rarely has Bieber pitched in a full season since 2018, but the Blue Jays can afford to bring him along slowly — trying to get the best out of the recently acquired 30-year-old righty.
Shane Bieber looks to finish the season strong with the Blue Jays
While saying goodbye is never easy, Bieber is looking forward to the next chapter of his career with the Blue Jays. Beyond anything, he is raring to go back to the mound and do his best for his new team. In fact, Bieber is already invested in his team's success and he is ecstatic to be joining a team that's playing good baseball like the Blue Jays have been for the past few months.
“Everybody seems fantastic. They've welcomed me with open arms. I definitely want to go out there and perform my best for them and for the city,” Bieber added.
