The Cleveland Guardians have hit a recent skid but have had a good season overall.
But to fully reach their ceiling, they need their ace back.
Shane Bieber, recovering from Tommy John surgery performed in April 2024, has been slowly overcoming obstacles and clearing milestones in his rehab.
He is, according to pitching coach Carl Willis, very close to returning to live games.
“I sat down with [senior vice president, medical services] Lonnie Soloff on Thursday morning,” Willis said, per Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. “We started to put down the first draft of a rehabilitation calendar. I know that his live batting practice his last time [on Friday] was really, really good.
“We saw, I think, 92 to 94 [mph] with the fastball in that live BP setting. So he’s continuing to move forward. He hadn’t had any issues. And the next steps are very soon.”
That next step is getting some minor league games under his belt.
According to Stebbins, the likelihood is that Bieber will start in the Arizona Complex League.
After he gets one or two starts there, he will likely be assigned to one of the Guardians’ affiliates, probably Double-A or Triple-A.
If all goes well, he could return to the majors in a matter of weeks.
However, Guardians fans will need to be patient because Bieber will require at least three or four rehab starts, but June feels like a realistic target for his return.
He will immediately boost a talented but inconsistent rotation.
NEXT: Insider Uses 1 Word To Describe Guardians This Season
