Cleveland Guardians ace Shane Bieber has been working his way back from Tommy John surgery performed in April 2024.
After a series of long, intense months of rehab, he made his first minor league start this past weekend, tossing 2.1 scoreless frames and striking out five in the Arizona Complex League.
Bieber was supposed to start on Friday for Double-A Akron.
However, after he felt soreness following a recent bullpen session, the team won’t proceed with those plans.
“Shane Bieber will not start Friday for Akron. He reported soreness after throwing a bullpen session the other day. He met with team doctors and will consult with Dr. Keith Meister to figure out what’s next,” Guardians insider Zack Meisel posted on X.
Shane Bieber will not start Friday for Akron. He reported soreness after throwing a bullpen session the other day. He met with team doctors and will consult with Dr. Keith Meister to figure out what’s next.
— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) June 5, 2025
This is a huge blow for the Guardians, who were counting on Bieber for late June or early July.
Now, even in a best-case scenario, his return will be delayed even further.
Dr. Meister will likely want to see some new imaging on Bieber’s elbow.
In any case, the presence of soreness is obviously very bad news.
It could be a multi-week thing, just as it could also mean damage to the UCL or the flexor tendon.
That last scenario could knock him out of the year.
Everything that is said from this point until the Guardians provide another update will be pure speculation.
One thing is certain: a June return is most likely out the window now.
Whether the Guardians have a chance to see Bieber this year or not will hinge almost exclusively on what Dr. Meister and the team’s physicians see and find.
For Cleveland fans, this feels like a gut punch.
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