BUFFALO — A wide grin took over Shane Bieber’s face shortly after he pitched seven scoreless innings in Buffalo while he considered where he might pitch next, but no, the right-hander wasn’t making any predictions whether his next start would be with the Toronto Blue Jays.
“I’m not gonna guess — we’ll see, we’ll have the necessary conversations,” Bieber said, not long after he made quick work in his third rehab start with triple-A Buffalo. “I feel ready, so I’m excited for what’s next.”
The former Cy Young Award winner sure looks ready for what’s next, too.
On Friday night, Bieber gave up six hits, walked nobody, and struck out four, firing 90 pitches — 64 of which were strikes. It’s the longest outing the two-time all-star has enjoyed with the Bisons since the Jays acquired him at the trade deadline while he’s been making his return from Tommy John surgery.
“Happy with how everything went today,” Bieber said. “Didn’t feel tip-top from a delivery standpoint, but I guess it’s kind of good work to get in, you’re not always going to play your best. I was able to put together seven innings and happy with how it all went.”
Bieber hasn’t played an MLB game since April 2024, when elbow pain led him to have surgery, and while he may not have felt tip-top delivery-wise, he was in control from start to finish on Friday. He never allowed more than a hit per inning, made quick work in a couple of three up three down innings, showcased a fastball that topped out at 94.3 m.p.h., and struck out the final batter he faced, leaving the Bisons with a 2-0 lead in an eventual win over the visiting Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
“I felt ready so tonight was a big step forward, and I’m happy with it,” Bieber said.
As he walked off the field, some of the 8,068 fans here at Sahlen Field stood and clapped for what could be the final time they see him play in a Bisons jersey.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters Bieber would likely need one more start after his first two were in the books in triple-A, with a target of around 85 pitches for Friday.
“I told them I keep bouncing back well and I felt ready, so happy for whatever they throw at me,” Bieber said.
The 30-year-old made his first rehab appearance on May 31, and by late July he’d worked his way up to double-A. Bieber was expected to rejoin Cleveland’s rotation this month, but he was traded to Toronto on July 31.
On Friday in Buffalo, Bieber gave up a lead-off single to open the game, and another single to open his final inning — he hopped on the mound in frustration after that one. But he didn’t allow the IronPigs to get anything going. “My delivery was a little bit out of whack,” Bieber said. “It got better towards the second half of my start, and so I was happy with the adjustments made.
“I feel like I try and pride myself on being able to make mid-game adjustments, and stuff started to straighten out for me in regards to where I wanted to locate and just how my pitches were acting. That’s a great step forward as well as making big game adjustments, and maybe I’ve felt better physically and delivery wise in previous outings. But you’re not always going to feel your best and it’s about going out there and competing — and being able to do that tonight.”
He’s still on the road to fully coming back after his surgery, which he called “a long, long road.”
“I’m not at the end of it. There’s a lot of work still to be done and I’m willing to do it,” he said. “I feel great. It’s great to go out there and just compete and read swings and have fun, throwing the ball and not taking anything for granted.”
Bieber made his debut with the Cleveland Guardians in 2018 and during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, he led MLB with 122 strikeouts and a 1.63 ERA to earn the AL Cy Young Award. In his last full MLB season, back in 2023, Bieber made 21 starts and posted a 3.80 ERA with 107 strikeouts.
Watch Blue Jays vs. Rays on Sportsnet
The Toronto Blue Jays will look to clinch the AL East with a win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. Catch the action on Sportsnet or Sportsnet+, starting at 3 p.m. ET / noon PT.
Broadcast schedule
“He’s always around the zone with his pitches,” said Bisons manager, Casey Candaele. “There’s not many wasted pitches that he throws that aren’t competitive, and in that aspect, the starters that do that, they usually go deep into games and they’re usually successful. With his stuff, they’re really successful. I think he’s come back strong and he’s been really good.”
Bieber now has 17.2 innings under his belt with Buffalo, and Friday’s game ended as fireworks lit up the sky. Bieber is looking forward to experiencing the atmosphere in Toronto, which he called “incredible” from what he’s seen so far.
“And then in years past I’ve always enjoyed pitching at the Rogers Centre,” he added. “When you’re the away team you tend to get a little more amped and it’s a great atmosphere. And so I’m excited to experience that myself in the Jays uniform.”
Bieber said he felt strong and could’ve kept going Friday through seven innings: “definitely.”
“It’s a steady progression and I’ll look to extend that next time.”
The necessary conversations have to happen, but we’ll soon find out whether next time is back in Buffalo, or a debut for the Toronto Blue Jays and Bieber’s long-awaited return to MLB.
