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The wait is almost over in Toronto. Shane Bieber, the former Cy Young Award winner and the Blue Jays’ boldest Trade Deadline addition, is on the cusp of making his highly anticipated debut. And if Friday night’s final rehab start in Buffalo was any indication, the ace is ready to roll.
Bieber dominated in his outing with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, tossing seven scoreless innings while scattering six hits, striking out four, and issuing no walks. The 30-year-old reached 90 pitches, his highest total since undergoing Tommy John surgery, with 64 of them going for strikes. His fastball averaged 92.5 mph and touched 94.3, numbers that mirror his peak seasons from 2020 and 2021. For Toronto, that’s a massive sign of encouragement.
“It’s an adult presence,” manager John Schneider said of Bieber’s addition. “It’s a guy with a Cy Young Award. That, coupled with what his stuff looks like and how he’s rebounding from his outings, it’s all really encouraging. It obviously raises the floor, but it really raises the ceiling if he’s what we think he can be.”
Blue Jays getting their new ace soon with all eyes on the Postseason
The Blue Jays have long been built on steady veteran arms, but adding Bieber changes the equation. This isn’t about scraping into the postseason anymore — it’s about winning the AL East and positioning themselves for a deep October run. Bieber’s arsenal looked sharp across the board in Buffalo. His slider averaged 85.3 mph, his cutter sat near 88, and his knuckle curve was right in line with his pre-injury form. Perhaps most intriguing, Bieber unveiled a “different” changeup that averaged 88.8 mph, giving hitters yet another wrinkle to worry about.
Toronto paid a steep price to land Bieber, parting with breakout right-hander and top-five prospect Khal Stephen. But the early returns suggest the gamble was worth it. Bieber looked like more than just a rehab project — he looked like the rotation leader the Blue Jays envisioned when they pulled the trigger at the deadline.
The timing could hardly be better. With Toronto battling for positioning atop the division, slotting Bieber into the rotation provides both a jolt of energy and a stabilizing force. Schneider and pitching coach Pete Walker now face the task of integrating him seamlessly, but the veteran-laden staff has already embraced the plan.
“We’ve talked to these guys multiple times already,” Schneider explained. “It will depend on what our starters have done, what our bullpen looks like. We have multiple plans in place … all of the starters are on board.”
The likely debut? Bieber could take the mound during next weekend’s road series in Miami, with a possible Rogers Centre introduction the following week against Milwaukee. However the schedule shakes out, Toronto fans won’t have to wait long.
On Friday night, Bieber showed he’s not just back — he’s ready. And for the Blue Jays, his arrival could be the difference between another early exit and a legitimate shot at October glory.
