The Cleveland Guardians made their biggest splash of the offseason so far on Friday when they re-signed Cy Young winner Shane Bieber to a 1-year, $10 million deal with a $4 million buyout and a player option at $16 million for 2026.
Most Guardians fans seem pleased so far that Bieber is back, and Bruce Drennan agrees.
In a recent episode of “Bonus Time,” Drennan said “It’s very critical” in reference to how important it is for Cleveland to bring Bieber back, adding “Even though he may not be ready by the start of the season, so what? If he misses a third, or if he doesn’t even come back until the All-Star break, so what?”
SHANE BIEBER IS BACK IN CLEVELAND!
"It's very critical."
Bruce Drennan weighs in on FREE @BIGPLAY app: https://t.co/Ag5PaVP3qG pic.twitter.com/S8Vozy3c2C
— Bruce Drennan Show (@Bruce_Drennan) December 7, 2024
It was also discussed how the need to retain Bieber was heightened after Matthew Boyd signed with the Chicago Cubs, and Bieber gave the Guardians a discount by turning down bigger offers elsewhere to return to the only organization he knows and continue rehabbing from his Tommy John surgery.
Cleveland’s lack of elite starting pitching was a huge reason why the team fell short of the World Series, as Boyd was the only starter in the postseason who could reliably go 4-5 innings.
Thus, the team’s dominant bullpen began to falter since it was overworked, and a healthy Bieber would go a long way toward mitigating that issue.
This is a huge win for the Guardians, and it’s nice to get a deal done early in the offseason to shift focus elsewhere.
The team still needs another starting pitcher or two and perhaps a big bat, but this is a great start to the offseason.
NEXT: Guardians Ace Rejected Better Offers To Stay In Cleveland
