The Blue Jays lead the AL East entering August, and they aren't going about their business quietly as the trade deadline approaches.
After adding to their bullpen with a deal for Seranthony Dominguez, Toronto made a splash Thursday morning by trading for Guardians starter Shane Bieber. The deal was first reported by MLB Network's Jon Morosi.
Bieber was the AL Cy Young Award winner in the shortened 2020 season and has pitched well in full seasons when available, but he underwent Tommy John Surgery only two starts into the 2024 season and hasn't yet made his return to a major league mound. After experiencing a minor setback in the spring, Bieber is now on the verge of a return — and that return will come with the Blue Jays.
📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
Here are the details on Toronto's deal for Bieber.
LIVE: Follow MLB trade deadline news, rumors
Shane Bieber trade details
Blue Jays receive
- SP Shane Bieber
Guardians receive
- P Khal Stephen
The Guardians received pitching prospect Khal Stephen from the Blue Jays for Bieber.
Stephen, 22, was a second-round pick in 2024 and made his professional debut this season. He has been excellent across three different minor league levels, posting a 2.06 ERA across 91.2 innings with only five home runs allowed. Stephen ranked as the Blue Jays' No. 5 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.
Bieber joins a veteran Blue Jays rotation that includes Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios, Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer. Every starter in that group is older than 30, but Gausman, Berrios and Bassitt are among the most durable starters in baseball, and the unit could receive a major boost if Bieber can round back into form after missing nearly 16 months.
Shane Bieber contract
Bieber signed a one-year contract with a $16 million player option for 2026 this past offseason.
The Blue Jays are taking a risk by dealing Stephen for Bieber, as the former Cy Young winner can pick up his $16 million option even if his final two months of the season don't go according to plan. The option includes a $4 million buyout if declined.
Shane Bieber stats
Bieber's ERA since 2019 is barely above 3.00, so he has been effective even outside of his short-season Cy Young Award. The 30-year-old tossed two scoreless starts with a combined 20 strikeouts in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John Surgery.
| Season | Team | IP | ERA | K | WHIP |
| 2018 | Indians | 114.2 | 4.55 | 118 | 1.33 |
| 2019 | Indians | 214.1 | 3.28 | 259 | 1.05 |
| 2020 | Indians | 77.1 | 1.63 | 122 | 0.87 |
| 2021 | Indians | 96.2 | 3.17 | 134 | 1.21 |
| 2022 | Guardians | 200.0 | 2.88 | 198 | 1.04 |
| 2023 | Guardians | 128.0 | 3.80 | 107 | 1.23 |
| 2024 | Guardians | 12.0 | 0.00 | 20 | 0.92 |
| Career | 843.0 | 3.22 | 958 | 1.12 |