Shane Bieber is, simply put, one of the best and most dominant Cleveland Guardians pitcher of the last decade.
He broke through in 2018 striking out 118 hitters in 114.2 innings, then dominated the league in a historic run-scoring environment to the tune of a 3.28 ERA.
He reached his peak in 2020, winning the AL Cy Young award.
By then, he was an established star.
After a somewhat down 2023, he worked hard in the off-season to regain his fastball velo and struck out 20 in 12 scoreless frames to open 2024.
He hurt his elbow and needed Tommy John surgery, and is now a free agent.
Those are the facts.
All we can do at this point is speculate: will he return to Cleveland? Under which terms? When can he be ready to pitch?
Those are all questions without answers right now.
Pitchers who have undergone TJ surgery typically need between 14-16 months, which means we could see Bieber anywhere from May-June to the second half.
As for his next team, the Guardians are a logical destination but two NL West powerhouses could get in the way.
“Top three landing spots for Cleveland #Guardians RHP free agent Shane Bieber this off-season. 1. Los Angeles Dodgers, 2. San Diego Padres, 3. Cleveland Guardians,” Guardians Prospective posted on X.
Top three landing spots for Cleveland #Guardians RHP free agent Shane Bieber this off-season.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. San Diego Padres
3. Cleveland Guardians— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) November 9, 2024
The Dodgers are always hunting for pitching and Bieber fits their strategy of signing talented rehabbing pitchers to reap the benefits later.
The Padres also make sense as an up-and-coming force, and they could also use some pitching to try and take down the Dodgers.
None of those teams need Bieber as much as the Guardians do, though.
Even if they have to wait for him a bit, Cleveland gives him a family, a solid young team and a chance to rebuild some value.
Only time will tell, but the top two NL West teams represent a huge threat to the Guardians chances of re-signing Bieber.
NEXT: Guardians Pitching Prospect Will Represent The Team In AFL's Fall Stars Game
