After weeks of patiently waiting for positive updates, Cleveland Guardians fans following Shane Bieber’s rehab were in for a treat on Saturday.
The former AL Cy Young Award winner tossed 2.1 scoreless innings in his first rehab start that day, in the Arizona Complex League.
He struck out five and averaged 93 mph with his heater.
Now, Bieber is slated to pitch on Thursday for Double-A Akron, and the plan is for him to throw 50 pitches as he continues his ramp-up process.
He is already throwing every five days, and those with knowledge of the situation have identified his potential return timeline as ‘late June or early July.’
Per Joe Reedy of the AP, “it is possible his return to the rotation could occur between June 25 through 29, when the Guardians have a homestand against the Toronto Blue Jays and St. Louis Cardinals.”
It will depend on whether the Guardians believe he is ready by then or if they want to give him an additional minor league start.
“We have a pretty good plan in place, but the one thing we want to make sure, especially with Tommy John, is that we’re really deliberate in helping him get back to a point where once he returns, he’s able to pitch for the balance of the season without issues,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said.
Bieber boasts a career 3.22 ERA, multiple All-Star berths, and the 2020 AL Cy Young Award.
He has the potential to be a much-needed ace for the pitching staff in the second half, as Cleveland tries to put together a deep postseason run for a second consecutive year.
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