Report: Bieber exercises $16M option to remain with Blue Jays
Shane Bieber is running it back with the Toronto Blue Jays.
The former Cy Young winner exercised his $16-million player option and will return to the American League champions in 2026, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports. Bieber chose to take the guaranteed salary from Toronto over a $4-million buyout.
Toronto acquired Bieber from the Cleveland Guardians at this year's trade deadline for pitching prospect Khal Stephen. Bieber had re-signed with Cleveland on a two-year, $26-million deal last December, and was dealt away while in the midst of his rehab.
Bieber ended up making seven regular-season starts for the Blue Jays down the stretch, posting a 3.57 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with 37 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings. He then won two games and struck out 18 over 18 2/3 innings in the playoffs, while not allowing more than two earned runs in any of his four postseason starts.
Despite pitching just 52 1/3 total innings over the last two seasons because of his elbow injury, the 30-year-old was expected to be one of the most sought-after pitchers in this year's free-agent class. Instead, he'll spend 2026 as a key member of Toronto's rotation and presumably test the market next winter.
Bieber could still negotiate an extension with the Blue Jays, although a long-term deal is not close at this time, sources told Mitch Bannon of The Athletic.
Bieber owns a lifetime 66-34 record with a 3.24 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 995 strikeouts across 143 big-league appearances since 2018. A two-time All-Star, he won the AL Cy Young with Cleveland during the abbreviated 2020 campaign and a Gold Glove in 2022.
The Blue Jays now enter 2026 with Bieber, Kevin Gausman, and rookie sensation Trey Yesavage headlining their rotation. José Berríos, who missed the postseason due to an elbow injury following a disappointing 2025 campaign, is also likely to return as a back-end starter. Barring any other offseason additions, Eric Lauer and Bowden Francis are also likely to compete for starting spots in spring training.
Two members of Toronto's 2025 rotation, Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt, became free agents following the World Series.
The Blue Jays won an AL-best 94 games this past season en route to their first division title since 2015 and first pennant in 32 years.