The Cleveland Guardians know, at this point, that Shane Bieber won’t take the ball to start on Opening Day for the first time since 2019.
That became a reality ever since it was revealed he had a UCL tear and needed surgery last April.
Most reports had Bieber returning sometime around mid-season, even a bit before.
However, he has made strides recently, so much so that it appears he is primed to comfortably beat that timeline.
We are not saying Bieber will be back in April, but June or even May are real possibilities.
The top right-hander is enjoying a smooth rehab so far, alongside a couple of fellow righties on the Guardians, at spring training camp in Goodyear.
“Cleveland #Guardians RHP Shane Bieber threw his fourth bullpen session on Friday. Right-handed relievers Trevor Stephan and Nic Enright threw bullpens as well as they work back from injuries,” Guardians Prospective posted on X.
Cleveland #Guardians RHP Shane Bieber threw his fourth bullpen session on Friday.
Right-handed relievers Trevor Stephan and Nic Enright threw bullpens as well as they work back from injuries.
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) March 1, 2025
Bieber surely has some additional bullpen sessions to clear before moving to live batting practice, which would be the next logical step.
However, the fact that we are entering March and he is already close to hitting that milestone is impressive.
It tells us that his body has recovered nicely and that he has been extremely disciplined about his rehab.
Cleveland could have a true frontline pitcher with a career 3.22 ERA and 12 scoreless innings last year back much sooner than they expected.
At this rate, there could be just a few weeks from the start of the 2025 campaign to Bieber’s return.
Nothing is set in stone, and the team won’t rush him, but there are reasons to feel excited about Bieber’s swift recovery so far.
NEXT: Watch: Guardians Second Baseman Hits First Cactus League Home Run
