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Cleveland Guardians Star Receives Compelling Trade Deadline Update
Oct 2, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Shane Bieber (57) throws the first pitch of the game against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Cleveland Guardians Star Receives Compelling Trade Deadline Update

Originally posted on Cleveland Guardians on SI
By Matthew Schmidt  |  Last updated Jul 28, 2025 11:57 AM ET

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber has been making his way back from Tommy John surgery since undergoing the procedure last year, and he has definitely hit some bumps along the road in his recovery.

Bieber was expected to return to the Guardians' rotation last month, but a setback pushed his debut back even further. But now, the 30-year-old could end up making his final start with Cleveland's organization in a Triple-A outing two days before the MLB trade deadline.

Justin Lada of Locked on Guardians breaks it down, and it's hard not to wonder if Bieber could be wearing a different uniform come the evening of July 31.

When he is healthy, Bieber is one of the best pitchers in baseball. He won the AL Cy Young award during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, and during his last fully healthy campaign in 2022, he went 13-8 with a 2.88 ERA.

That's just the thing, though: the former All-Star has rarely been healthy in recent years, which definitely makes him a rather risky trade deadline addition for contending teams. It also makes him a very movable piece for the Guardians, especially considering Bieber could hit free agency over the winter if he declines his player option.

Cleveland is currently below .500, but the Guardians remain firmly in Wild Card contention. Perhaps the return of Bieber could propel them further in the standings, but again, how much can Cleveland actually rely on Bieber at this juncture?

There is no question that Bieber is a trade candidate, but whether or not another club actually provides the Guardians with an enticing enough offer remains to be seen.

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This article first appeared on Cleveland Guardians on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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