Cleveland Guardians starter Shane Bieber is entering his last season of team control, which means he will be a free agent after the 2024 campaign unless he signs an extension.
The Guardians were unable to reach an agreement with him for years, and it’s hard to see that changing at this point.
2024 will, in all likelihood, be Bieber’s last season in Cleveland.
There is even a chance he doesn’t spend the year with the Guardians if he ends up being traded.
The team needs all the offensive help it can get, and flipping Bieber to a pitching-starved organization might be beneficial for all parties.
For now, however, the right-hander is still a Guardian, and if he stays that way until the end of the season, he has shown enough professionalism and competitive edge to ensure he will pitch to the top of his capabilities.
In fact, the team gave him a nice raise from the $10.01 million he made last year.
“Source: Shane Bieber, Guardians settle at $13.125 million, avoiding arbitration,” MLB insider Robert Murray tweeted.
Source: Shane Bieber, Guardians settle at $13.125 million, avoiding arbitration.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) January 11, 2024
Whether Cleveland will end up paying that salary or not will depend on if he stays or goes to another team.
It’s nice money for a pitcher who has accomplished so much in a Guardians uniform, including a 3.27 lifetime ERA and a Cy Young award.
In 2023, he posted a 3.80 ERA in 128 innings, with 107 strikeouts.
Even with his velocity declining, he managed to remain a quality pitcher for Cleveland in 2023.
Nobody knows what the future holds for Bieber, but he is set to enter the year in the Guardians rotation unless told otherwise.
NEXT: Dodgers Fans Weigh In On Potential Shane Bieber Deal
