Yankees Linked to Shane Bieber as ESPN Adds Him to Trade Watchlist

The Yankees may be staring down the trade deadline with more desperation than usual, and ESPN just added a new name to their radar. The analysts at ESPN added 2020 CY Young winner Shane Bieber onto the list of potentially being traded and linked him to the Yankees. 

Bieber was slotted in at No. 20 on ESPN’s updated list of the top 50 trade candidates, with insider David Schoenfield calling his chances of being dealt “50-50.” The Yankees were listed among five potential landing spots for the 2020 Cy Young winner, joining the Padres, Cubs, Mets, Red Sox, and Blue Jays.

It’s a surprise name, mostly because Bieber hasn’t thrown a major league pitch this season. He’s rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and just recently began ramping up. But according to Schoenfield, early signs are encouraging with his fastball is reportedly back up to 94 mph, and his slider has regained some of its signature bite.

If healthy, Bieber represents one of the few available pitchers with top-of-the-rotation upside. That 's something the Yankees could use in the wake of Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt coming off Tommy John surgery and their availability for 2026 in question. 

New York has been connected to a wide range of arms, from innings-eaters to bullpen depth. Bieber is more of a wildcard. It’s a high-reward gamble with minimal 2024 usage but potentially massive implications in October.

The Guardians may be open to dealing him now instead of waiting for the offseason, especially if they feel his value won’t climb much higher and want to capitalize on the current pitching market. Bieber will be a free agent after 2025.

The big question for the Yankees isn’t just fit, it's cost. And given Bieber’s recent injury history, it's unclear how much the Yankees would be willing to give up. But if he’s truly turning the corner in his recovery, they won’t be the only team asking.