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Toronto Blue Jays Pitcher Identified as Possible Giants Free Agent Target

Originally posted on Toronto Blue Jays on SI
By Scott Roche | Last updated Oct 2, 2025 8:01 PM ET

At the trade deadline, Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins acquired right-handed pitcher Shane Bieber from the Cleveland Guardians to bolster the Blue Jays' rotation. It was seen as a gamble as Bieber had not thrown a pitch in an MLB game in 2025.

He had four minor league rehab starts as he was working his way back from Tommy John surgery at the time of the trade. Toronto was acquiring him for a playoff run this October while knowing that he was likely a rental and becoming a free agent this winter. He is expected to be a big part of the rotation beginning this weekend in the American League Division Series.

Whether or not Atkins has plans to try and re-sign him this offseason remains to be seen, but if he doesn't, he would be one of the highly coveted pitchers on the free agent market. The San Francisco Giants will need to add depth to their rotation, and Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic (subscription required) believes Bieber is someone the Giants will consider.

Shane Bieber Tabbed As a Giants Target This Offseason

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It was another season where the Giants missed the playoffs, and it cost Bob Melvin his job as manager. General manager Buster Posey is tasked with hiring a new manager as well as adding arms behind his top starters, Logan Webb and Robbie Ray. Baggarly thinks Posey will be aggressive to add arms to compete with the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.

"Former Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber would be an attractive target because he won’t require draft pick compensation, isn’t expected to command a lengthy contract and still has a high ceiling. The Giants need to take a lesson from the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, who have stockpiled pitching while continuing to distance themselves from the pack in the NL West. The Giants must be aggressive, creative and open-minded in every phase of the starting pitching market."

In seven starts for the Blue Jays since the trade, Bieber is 4-2 with a 3.57 ERA in 40.1 innings with 37 strikeouts and 16 earned runs allowed. Again, those numbers are after Tommy John surgery, but he is a former Cy Young Award winner with Cleveland, and his stuff is still that of a top starter.

Posey will have to hire a new manager, but adding arms is something that is also on his list of things to do to compete with the Padres and Dodgers in the NL West. Signing Bieber to slot him behind Webb and Ray makes sense.

The Blue Jays would likely get a big return as it won't be cheap, but to compete with San Diego and Los Angeles, you need to be aggressive, something Posey has not been afraid to do. Toronto hopes to get a few more starts out of Bieber this month in the postseason.