Guardians' writer discusses wild scenario: Could Cleveland face Shane Bieber in October?
October baseball is all about drama. So, with the playoffs fewer than two months away, why not start fantasizing about the possibilities?
Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com is doing just that, as he details a potential postseason matchup between the Guardians and their former ace, Shane Bieber, in his latest piece. Of course, a lot would still need to happen.
'First, Bieber would have to prove he's recovered from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow to join the Blue Jays' starting rotation,' Hoynes wrote. 'He has not pitched in a big league game since April of 2024.'
Then, the Blue Jays and Guardians would have to make the postseason. Toronto has a 4.5-game lead in the AL East with a 69-50 record, but Cleveland's playoff chances aren't nearly as great.
The Guardians sit 6.5 games behind the Detroit Tigers for first place in the AL Central and are 1.0 game out of the Wild Card. FanGraphs gives them a 26.9% chance to make the postseason, while the Blue Jays are basically a lock at 98.0%.
Bieber was traded to Toronto on July 31 for prospect Khal Stephen—a right hander that currently holds a 2.06 ERA in the minors this season and just made his Double-A debut.
Cleveland's former ace is a two-time All-Star and the 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner. He has a career 3.22 ERA over 136 games (134 starts) and has been working his way through the minor leagues this season with the hope of making it to the Majors later this year.
Bieber holds a 2.45 ERA across four different levels in the minors, and he most recently moved up to Triple-A Buffalo, where he's started two games. If Bieber returns, and Cleveland surges into the playoffs, this matchup would be must-see TV with the season on the line.
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