Guardians' Shane Bieber drawing interest ahead of trade deadline
According to Zack Meisel of The Athletic, the Guardians are receiving interest in starting pitcher Shane Bieber. With four days until the trade deadline, teams are calling Cleveland about Bieber's availability.
"The Guardians have received calls on Bieber," Meisel writes, "... The starting pitching market is lacking in sizzle - that is, unless the AL Central reshapes the market. Even with Lugo off the board, Bieber and Minnesota's Joe Ryan would be two of the top names on the market."
If the Guardians do decide to move on from Bieber at the trade deadline, they might be able to land a strong return. Even though he hasn't pitched since 2024, the Guardians veteran starter is drawing interest from around the league.
But, there's a caveat to a Bieber deal: the Guardians would need to receive upside equivalent to a prospect from the first two rounds of the MLB draft. Bieber is expected to hit free agency with his $16 million player option likely being declined.
MORE: Guardians make trade deadline decision on 2.33 ERA reliever
If he's a free agent, the Guardians can offer a $21 million qualifying offer. In a scenario where he rejects that offer, Cleveland could get a first-round compensatory pick if he signs for over $50 million, and a second-round pick if he signs for under that number.
Regardless, if the Guardians envision a prospect they're offered can be the equivalent of a first or second round compensatory draft choice, then they might consider dealing Bieber at the deadline.
They're looking for upside and potential. While landing such a player might be hard for an injured pitcher, Bieber has a rehab start in the minor leagues on Tuesday, three days before the trade deadline, which is likely to be full of scouts.
It's a long shot, but the potential of a Bieber trade is real and could come to fruition by the trade deadline, especially if his start in the minors goes well.
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New York Times
5 minutes ago
- New York Times
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New York Times
6 minutes ago
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What we learned from Netflix's SEC football documentary, ‘Any Given Saturday'
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SEC Football: Any Given Saturday, a Netflix Sports series offering an exclusive look at key matchups throughout the SEC season, premieres August 5. Witness the unparalleled pressure, commitment, and raw emotion it takes to be a D1 football player in college football's leading… — Netflix (@netflix) July 14, 2025 Netflix has scored hits with sports documentaries going behind the scenes on Formula One, the PGA Tour and the NFL in recent years, among others. Now college football gets its turn: 'Any Given Saturday' is available on Netflix starting Aug. 5, with a seven-episode run that covers the 2024 season through an SEC lens. Advertisement Formula One gained popularity in the U.S. after 'Drive to Survive' debuted in 2019. Paul Martin, the English executive producer for Box to Box Films, which produced both 'Drive to Survive' and 'Any Given Saturday,' was asked if they were aiming to do the reverse this time, bringing college football to a worldwide audience. 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New York Times
6 minutes ago
- New York Times
New York Knicks mailbag: Giannis watch and could Ben Simmons be a serious option?
The NBA calendar is smack dab in the middle of its most dull period. But, of course, the Knicks remain busy. Last week, the franchise signed Mikal Bridges to a four-year, $150 million extension, keeping New York's core that made the Eastern Conference finals this past season intact for the next few years. New Knicks head coach Mike Brown recently added former Sacramento Kings assistants Riccardo Fois and Charles Allen to his staff and is also eying current Charlotte Hornets assistant coach Chris Jent, per league sources. As for the roster, after signing Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele this offseason, the Knicks still have room to sign a veteran's minimum player and a player on a rookie deal. As we wait to see if New York inks extensions with Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson, let's answer reader questions on the offseason so far and the upcoming season. This is Part 1 of a two-part mailbag. Did the Mikal extension have any connection/correlation with the Giannis (Antetokounmpo) situation in Milwaukee? — @aaron24_8__2 It is my understanding that Leon Rose and company have been monitoring Giannis Antetokounmpo's situation in Milwaukee very closely, even before the offseason started. Many around the league believe the Knicks are interested in star hunting, and while that opportunity hasn't popped up yet, I certainly believe it's in the cards if the right situation presents itself. Advertisement As for the Bridges extension, I don't think it's a coincidence that New York waited this long into the summer to get it done. The Giannis situation has lingered (and is continuing to somewhat linger), but people I've talked to are fairly confident Antetokounmpo will start next season with Milwaukee. I also don't think it's a coincidence that the Knicks signed Bridges to an extension before Aug. 6. A player who signs an extension can't be traded for six months. If Bridges signed his extension on Aug. 6 or later, he wouldn't be eligible to get moved until next summer, as six months from Aug. 6 would take us past the expected February trade deadline. The fact that Bridges signed before then makes him eligible to be traded, if the Knicks choose to do that, before the deadline. I don't believe New York did this because it is without a doubt trading Bridges. I believe Rose and company did this to give themselves some flexibility in the event something — like Giannis wanting out — becomes a possibility. Is Ben Simmons really a serious option the Knicks are considering? They certainly need another playmaker, but I don't know about Ben. — @2lowtech Simmons has been talked about around the Knicks, per league sources, with their minimum roster slot. If you're asking me what I think of the fit, I wouldn't be a fan of the signing. Yes, he'd add some much-needed size to the backcourt. Yes, a defensive lineup of Simmons, Bridges and Anunoby would be intriguing for small portions of a game. However, I'm not a fan of having to have a tailor-made offense for a backup point guard. Simmons' inability to shoot — or even look at the basket — makes it so that Brown couldn't successfully play him with non-shooters like Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson. Giving significant minutes to a guard or wing who isn't willingly looking to score isn't something I'd sign up for. Advertisement New York needs to embrace its five-out spacing this season more than it did last year, and adding someone like Simmons to the rotation makes it trickier to do that. How realistic does it look that the Knicks will offer Mitchell Robinson an extension/new deal with the second apron? — @HerlihyRobert To me, the Robinson situation has more to do with New York's uncertainty about whether the oft-injured big man can stay healthy. As things stand now, Robinson is extension-eligible. Until he signs an extension, he'll play next season on a $12.9 million expiring contract. There are a couple of ways to look at this situation. Let's start from the Knicks' perspective. Would New York like Robinson back beyond next season? I'm sure it would for the right price. I'm just not sure the Knicks are even willing to give out a contract similar to the one Robinson is currently finishing due to the fact that he hasn't been available for a large part of the last three seasons. The team has to consider its financial situation going forward, and not everyone on the roster can get paid. Furthermore, other teams around the NBA respect Robinson as a player but are frightened by his size and injury history. It might make sense in the Knicks' mind, if they do want to bring him back after this season, to allow him to test the open market next year. It would give them an opportunity — though risky because he'd be an unrestricted free agent — to see what his value is to other teams and potentially get him for cheaper than they would now by signing him to an extension. I get why New York would want to wait. On the flip side, I could also see why Robinson would want to test the open market (even if I'd prefer the security given his injury history). He told us multiple times last season that he's invested more time and money into his body. If he believes he can get through the bulk of a season again without any major injury, that's a positive for him. In addition, Robinson was just one of New York's three most impactful players during a postseason run the franchise hasn't seen in 25 years. If he can do what he did this last postseason over the bulk of next year, that will bode well for him as it pertains to his next contract. Advertisement How this situation plays out will be interesting to monitor over the next 12 months. Who's the backup PG next season? Kolek? Or someone else? — @NewYork4Everr I don't think the Knicks' backup point guard for next season is on the roster yet. I'd be a bit surprised if New York started the year with Tyler Kolek playing behind Jalen Brunson. I'm not sure Kolek's ready for such a big role, considering the Knicks have such lofty expectations for next season. Miles McBride is best utilized as an off-ball guard, in my opinion. However, I wouldn't be stunned if he took on backup point-guard duties next year. I'm expecting New York to use its veteran's minimum spot on the point guard position, with names like Simmons, Malcolm Brogdon, Delon Wright and Monté Morris worth monitoring. (Photo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jalen Brunson: Evan Bernstein / Getty Images)
