Report: Former Cy Young winner could draw 'significant' trade interest

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Bieber is expected to draw "significant interest" ahead of the MLB trade deadline (Thursday, July 31 at 6 p.m. ET).

The Guardians entered Tuesday with a record of 52-54. They were nine games behind the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central and four games back in the AL wild-card race.

Any chance of Cleveland becoming a buyer at the trade deadline likely evaporated when closer Emmanuel Clase was placed on paid leave by MLB amid the gambling investigation involving the team.

Bieber, 30, underwent Tommy John surgery after making just two starts last season. He has been one of the best pitchers in baseball when healthy and was named an All-Star in 2019 and 2021. Bieber won the AL Cy Young Award in 2020, when he went 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA in a pandemic-shortened season.

If the Guardians make Bieber available, there will be few pitchers on the market with higher upside. There should be plenty of suitors for Bieber if Cleveland wants to trade him.