Bieber to make Blue Jays debut Friday vs. Marlins

The Toronto Blue Jays' marquee trade deadline acquisition, Shane Bieber, will debut for his new team against the Miami Marlins on Friday, manager John Schneider announced Monday, per Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling.

It will be Bieber's first MLB appearance since April 2024, when he underwent Tommy John surgery as a member of the Cleveland Guardians.

"I've been working towards this for a long, long time," Bieber said, according to Sportsnet's Hazel Mae. "It's not a surprise, it's been anticipated, so I'm excited, determined, and ready to go."

Bieber posted a 1.86 ERA in seven minor-league rehab starts, fanning 37 batters and walking just three across 29 innings. He threw seven shutout innings in his final rehab start with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons on Friday.

The 30-year-old won the AL Cy Young Award during the shortened 2020 season, going 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA. He owns a 3.22 ERA across his seven-year MLB career.

The Blue Jays acquired Bieber on July 31 in exchange for pitching prospect Khal Stephen. Bieber's contract contains a $16-million player option for next season.

Toronto's starters for Saturday and Sunday are yet to be determined, Schneider added. The Blue Jays have five additional healthy starters, so it's unclear if someone will be moved to the bullpen or the team will operate with a six-man rotation.