It is not a secret that the Cleveland Guardians would like to trade pitcher Shane Bieber.
He used to be an ace, with multiple Cy Young-caliber seasons (including winning the award in 2020) and a 3.27 career ERA.
Now, his days as a true workhorse might be over: he suffered elbow inflammation bouts last year which limited him to 128 innings.
Still, he remains a fine hurler, probably closer to a mid-rotation type than an ace, though.
He is in the last year of arbitration eligibility and is slated to make just over $12 million in 2024.
Knowing that their chances of scoring a long-term deal are slim to none at this point, Cleveland might be looking to trade him.
The latest team to inquire about the right-hander are the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Shane Bieber was a more hittable and less healthy pitcher in 2023 than 2022. Do the Dodgers see a path to getting him back on track?
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) January 4, 2024
The article says that the Dodgers “checked in” on the Guardians asking for Bieber and what would it take to pry him away from Ohio.
Apparently, the Guardians valuation of the players is not the same as potentially acquiring teams.
It happens: it’s a long offseason, and a deal can still get done.
Even after adding Tyler Glasnow via trade and Yoshinobu Yamamoto via free agency, the Dodgers might need another arm or two.
They lost too much talent due to injuries, free agency, and even the restricted list in the past few months.
Bieber, who finished 2023 with a 3.80 ERA, might not be the ace he used to be just two or three seasons ago, but if he is healthy, there is no reason to think he can’t have a successful campaign in 2024, whether it is with the Guardians, Dodgers, or any other squad.
NEXT: Writer Suggests Yankees, Guardians Possible Trade
