Shane Bieber’s Cleveland story may not be finished after all. The right-hander spent seven seasons with the organization, won the American League Cy Young Award in 2020 and became one of the most popular pitchers in recent franchise history. Cleveland traded him to Toronto at the 2025 trade deadline while he was still recovering from Tommy John surgery, and he spent this season with the Blue Jays. Now he is a free agent, and one national writer thinks the best place for him is right back where it all started.
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden ranked Bieber No. 26 on his list of the top 40 free agents and named the Guardians as his best fit, while noting that his offers “will depend on the most recent medicals.”
“Bieber started the season on the IL with elbow inflammation, likely a carryover from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in 2024. He then made 11 starts and had a 4.37 ERA, but didn’t have the command and control he had previously. He was pitching the best he had all season at the time of his last injury. His contract offers this offseason will depend on the most recent medicals and physicians’ opinions on his future health risks,” Bowden wrote.
Bieber’s 2026 numbers were modest. He went 5-2 with 44 strikeouts and a 1.419 WHIP over 55 2/3 innings. His track record is a different story. Over seven seasons in Cleveland, Bieber went 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA and 958 strikeouts. His 2020 season was one of the best by any pitcher in franchise history, as he won the pitching Triple Crown and the Cy Young. He was also the MVP of the 2019 All-Star Game at Progressive Field and won a Gold Glove in 2022.
He has deep ties to the organization, too. Cleveland drafted Bieber in the fourth round out of UC Santa Barbara in 2016, and he made his big league debut with the club in 2018. Carl Willis, who helped guide him to the Cy Young, is returning as pitching coach next season.
A reunion would also fill a need. Parker Messick threw far more innings than ever before as a rookie, and the team will want to manage his workload. A veteran on a one-year deal could give the staff valuable depth behind Gavin Williams, Messick and Tanner Bibee.
There are real risks, though. Bieber turns 32 next spring and has dealt with elbow and shoulder issues over the past two years. A one-year, $20 million contract would also be a major commitment for a team that reached the ALCS with a payroll of roughly $75 million and faces big arbitration decisions on Steven Kwan and Jo Adell.
Still, a short term deal for a former Cy Young winner is the kind of move that fits Cleveland’s style. If the medical reports come back clean, bringing Bieber home could be one of the more intriguing storylines of the Guardians’ winter.
NEXT: Guardians Free Agent Pitcher Being Linked To 3 MLB Teams
