Shane Bieber, the ace of the Cleveland Guardians, had his third rehab start on Tuesday in Double-A Akron.
He dominated, but perhaps the most important development was that he managed to throw 58 very competitive pitches.
For a hurler trying to play catch-up with his rotation mates in Cleveland, it was a good day.
Bieber tossed four rock-solid innings in which he conceded three hits and a single run.
He walked no one and struck out seven foes.
For Guardians fans who have waited more than a year for him to get healthy, Tuesday was a day to remember and appreciate.
The results were nice to see, but the pitcher himself said he is feeling good after the outing and is happy with where his stuff currently is.
“Shane Bieber says his stuff is in a “good spot” after his outing today in Akron. He also downplayed worrying about trade rumors, saying he didn’t realize the trade deadline was Thursday,” Guardians writer Justin Lada posted on X.
Shane Bieber says his stuff is in a "good spot" after his outing today in Akron.
He also downplayed worrying about trade rumors, saying he didn't realize the trade deadline was Thursday.
— Justin L. (jlbaseball on bluesky) (@JL_Baseball) July 29, 2025
Bieber touched 94 mph, which is basically his pre-surgery velocity.
The challenge will be sustaining that velocity late in MLB games when it’s time to return.
His breaking ball also looked nasty, and the opposition appeared to have no answer for it, as the following video shows:
Rehab Update: @CleGuardians Shane Bieber tossed four innings allowing one run while striking out seven! He topped out at 94 mph 🔥@GuardsInsider pic.twitter.com/irJXF4U1aT
— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) July 29, 2025
Vintage Bieber walks no one and strikes out plenty of hitters, and he looked very close to that version on Tuesday.
The former AL Cy Young Award winner should be ready to return to the rotation in a matter of days, not weeks.
Will it be the Guardians’ rotation, though?
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