Shane Bieber, the former Cy Young Award winner acquired by the Toronto Blue Jays from Cleveland at last year's trade deadline, is expected to make his 2026 season debut on Monday night against the Houston Astros. Blue Jays manager John Schneider announced the news prior to Saturday's game in Chicago.
Bieber's Injury and Recovery
Bieber entered 2026 nursing forearm fatigue and was placed on the injured list due to right-elbow inflammation. He has not faced MLB hitters since last fall's World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he started Game 4 and entered Game 7 in relief during extra innings. Much was made when Bieber exercised his $16-million player option to stay with the Jays, but little was known about his exact health at the time. When the Jays acquired him from the Guardians, Bieber was in the midst of rehabbing from elbow surgery.
Timely Return for Depleted Rotation
Bieber's return couldn't have come at a better time for the Blue Jays, who have several fellow starters sidelined, including season-ending injuries to Cody Ponce and Jose Berrios. On Wednesday, Max Scherzer was placed on the IL for the second time this season, forcing the Jays to resort to bullpen days. Bieber will essentially replace Scherzer in the rotation, which currently consists of Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, and Patrick Corbin.
2025 Performance and Post-Season Work
In seven regular-season starts in 2025, Bieber posted a 3.57 ERA in 40.1 innings. In the post-season, he made five appearances, including a six-inning outing against Seattle in the ALCS. However, the painful memory of Bieber giving up a home run to Will Smith of the Dodgers in the World Series still resonates with fans.
Rotation Struggles and Bullpen Strain
The Blue Jays' starting rotation has struggled, especially of late. On Thursday, Trey Yesavage evoked images of last year's version in Boston for seven solid innings until he gave up back-to-back homers in the eighth inning. On Friday afternoon, Kevin Gausman had his worst outing as a Blue Jay, and the Jays had to over-tax their bullpen in a lopsided loss to the Chicago Cubs that turned into a walk-a-thon. One reliever summoned was Brendon Little, who was not good, to put it mildly, and was subsequently sent back to triple-A Buffalo on Saturday. The more bullpen days the Jays have, the more pressure it puts on relievers.
Upcoming Home Stand
The Blue Jays begin a 10-game home stand Monday, the club's longest of the season, with a three-game set against the Houston Astros. The stretch will also see the return of Bo Bichette for the first time in a New York Mets jersey.
