Guardians trade Bieber to first-place Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired former Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians.

Bieber has not pitched in the majors since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2024 but has made three minor-league rehab starts in recent weeks and could provide a boost to Toronto’s veteran starting rotation.

The first-place Blue Jays traded minor-league right-hander Khal Stephen to the Guardians in the deal, which was announced Thursday.

Bieber, 30, worked four innings in his most recent minor-league rehab outing Tuesday with Double-A Akron, striking out seven on 57 pitches. The right-hander had been slated for his next rehab start Sunday at Triple-A Columbus and was expected to rejoin Cleveland’s rotation at some point in August.

Bieber is a two-time All-Star who won the AL Cy Young in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, when he led the league in wins (8), ERA (1.63) and strikeouts (122). He is 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA over parts of seven seasons with the Guardians.

The Blue Jays, who entered Thursday with a four-game lead over the New York Yankees atop the AL East, have a team ERA of 4.27, the ninth-worst in the majors.

Bieber would join a Blue Jays rotation that includes Kevin Gausman, Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt and Jose Berrios. Veteran left-hander Eric Lauer has served as Toronto’s fifth starter over the last two months but could return to a bullpen role once Bieber is ready to return to the majors.