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Guardians’ Ex-Cy Young Star Drawing Trade Interest

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt Graves | Last updated Jul 23, 2025 3:32 PM ET

The Cleveland Guardians are once again walking a tightrope, balancing the goal of staying competitive now with the need to plan for the future.

Sitting at 50–50 and trailing the American League Central-leading Detroit Tigers by nine games, Cleveland's front office finds itself at a familiar crossroads as the trade deadline approaches.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan , the Guardians have indicated to other teams that they’re open to discussing deals involving impactful players. That includes names like Steven Kwan, Emmanuel Clase and Cade Smith. They're not players who are actively being shopped, but ones who could be moved for the right return.

If those deals don’t materialize, the more likely trade chips are the team’s impending free agents: Carlos Santana, Paul Sewald and Jakob Junis. But there’s one other name Passan highlights as a player to watch: Shane Bieber.

"One player to keep an eye on: 2020 AL Cy Young winner Shane Bieber."

Bieber, recovering from Tommy John surgery, made his first rehab start Tuesday at High-A Lake County and is considered available. His $16 million salary for next season, paired with a recent injury history, could complicate matters. Still, if his stuff returns to form, Passan suggests that "high-payroll teams could see him as a risk worth adding."

Bieber had hoped to be back in the Guardians rotation by now. He originally suffered elbow soreness that pulled him from his first rehab assignment on May 31. He’s made just two starts in 2024, his final season of club control with the Guardians.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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