Bieber underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow Friday, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.
Bieber's procedure will officially close the book on his 2024 campaign after he made just two starts, striking out 20 batters across 12 scoreless innings. His absence will likely extend several months into the 2025 campaign.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Shifted to 60-day IL
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The Guardians transferred Bieber (elbow) to the 60-day injured list from the 15-day IL on Wednesday.
The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for right-hander Wes Parsons, whom the Guardians acquired from the Blue Jays on Wednesday. Bieber needs Tommy John surgery and will be sidelined for the remainder of the season.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Placed on IL, done for season
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The Guardians placed Bieber (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Saturday.
Earlier Saturday, the Guardians announced that Bieber was diagnosed with ligament damage in his elbow following his second start of the season Tuesday in Seattle and will be headed for Tommy John surgery. Bieber will miss the rest of the season while he recovers from surgery and is set to miss a large portion of the 2025 campaign, an unfortunate development for the right-hander as he heads into free agency this winter. The Guardians will eventually move Bieber to the 60-day IL whenever the team decides it needs to open a spot on the 40-man roster. Peter Strzelecki was called up from Triple-A Columbus and will take Bieber's spot on the 26-man active roster and provide bullpen depth for now, but Strzelecki could be swapped out when Cleveland needs an arm to take Bieber's spot in the starting rotation.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Needs Tommy John surgery
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The Guardians announced Saturday that Bieber will require season-ending Tommy John surgery to repair a torn UCL in his right elbow, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.
The season-ending injury is a devastating development for the Guardians and for Bieber, who was utterly dominant on the mound in his two starts this season, striking out 20 batters in 12 innings. However, he reportedly battled through pain in his elbow during outings March 28 in Oakland and Tuesday in Seattle, and reconstructive elbow surgery has since been recommended. Bieber will now miss the rest of the 2024 season and likely the start of the 2025 season, given that Tommy John surgery typically entails a 14-to-16-month recovery period.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Spins another gem
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Bieber (2-0) picked up the win Tuesday against the Mariners, allowing six hits over six scoreless inning. He struck out nine and did not issue a walk.
Bieber kept a clean sheet once again Tuesday, holding the Mariners scoreless to keep his season ERA at a perfect 0.00 through two starts. After regressing to a 3.80 ERA last season -- his worst since his rookie year -- Bieber could be recapturing his 2020 Cy Young form. He leads MLB in strikeouts (20) through 12 innings of work. The Guardians' ace will look to continue his dominance in his next start, likely Monday against the White Sox.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Racks up 11 Ks in Opening Day win
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Bieber (1-0) tossed six scoreless innings against Oakland on Thursday, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out 11 batters to earn the win.
He wasn't exactly facing the stiffest competition, but Bieber was absolutely dominant Thursday, recording 18 swinging strikes en route to 11 punchouts. Per Mandy Bell of MLB.com, the double-digit strikeout effort was Bieber's third such performance on Opening Day, tying him for second in major-league history with four other hurlers behind Randy Johnson. Bieber is off to an outstanding start as he looks to bounce back from last year's injury-plagued campaign during which he posted a 3.80 ERA, his worst mark since his rookie 2018 season.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Starting Opening Day
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The Guardians announced Tuesday that Bieber will start Opening Day against the A's on March 28, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.
It's hardly a surprise the right-hander is taking the mound for Cleveland, as it will the fifth consecutive season he's started Opening Day. Bieber was limited to 21 starts last season due to an elbow issue and had a 3.80 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 107:34 K:BB over 128 innings. He'll open 2024 versus a favorable opponent in one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in MLB.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Cruising in spring
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Bieber has allowed three runs on five hits and six walks while striking out 12 over 11.1 innings across three Cactus League starts.
Bieber racked up eight of those strikeouts over 5.2 innings Sunday versus the Reds. After dealing with elbow inflammation in 2023, the right-hander had no restrictions entering spring training and has delivered strong results. Nothing's set in stone yet, but it's likely Bieber will make one more spring start and figures to be in contention for the Opening Day start March 28 versus the Athletics.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: No restrictions this spring
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Bieber will have no restrictions to begin spring training, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Bieber dealt with elbow inflammation in the middle of 2023, the second time in three years he's missed a large portion of the season. He had a pedestrian 3.80 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 107:34 K:BB over 128 innings across 21 starts last year. The right-hander is still considered the Guardians' staff ace heading into 2024, so it's a good sign that he's beginning the spring healthy.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Nets $13.125 million from Guardians
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The Guardians and Bieber avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $13.125 million contract Thursday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Bieber had been projected as one of the highest earners via the arbitration process in what was his final year of eligibility. The veteran right-hander posted a 3.80 ERA and 107:34 K:BB over 128 innings covering 21 starts for Cleveland in 2023. His stuff and strikeouts have been ticking down and he missed time with an elbow injury last season, but Bieber will be healthy heading into spring training.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Earns win with dominant performance
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Bieber (6-6) earned the win Wednesday, allowing one run on five hits over six innings against the Reds. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter.
Bieber allowed only one hit over the first four innings and didn't surrender a run until the sixth, after Cleveland had already jumped out to a four-run lead. The right-hander had given up four runs in each of his last three starts coming in, and it marked his first start with one or fewer runs allowed since June 29. Bieber now carries a 4.09 ERA through two September starts to go along with a 12:1 K:BB.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Shaky in return to rotation
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Bieber came away with a no-decision in Friday's 9-8 win over the Orioles, giving up five runs (four earned) on six hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out five.
Two of the runs charged to Bieber in his first big-league start since July 9 scored on a wild pitch in the second inning and his own throwing error in the third. The veteran right-hander had some good moments too though, escaping that third-inning jam with a double-play grounder and a strikeout, and he left the mound after throwing 52 of 81 pitches for strikes. It's been a tough, injury-plagued season for Bieber, whose 3.91 ERA and 12.5 WHIP are his highest marks since he was a rookie in 2018, but he'll likely make one more start before the regular season is through, on the road next weekend in Detroit.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Slated to start Friday
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Bieber (elbow) will be activated from the 60-day injured list to start Friday's game against the Orioles at Progressive Field, MLB.com reports.
Guardians manager Terry Francona confirmed that Bieber will be cleared to make his first start for Cleveland since the All-Star break after the right-hander threw a bullpen session Tuesday in Kansas City without incident. Francona said Bieber will be limited to around 80 pitches Friday, though that workload could still be enough for the 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner to reach the five innings he would need to qualify for a win. Bieber has been on the shelf throughout the second half with right elbow inflammation.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Tracking toward return this week
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Bieber (elbow) will throw a bullpen session Tuesday and, if it goes well, he could return from the 60-day injured list to make a start later this week, MLB.com reports.
The Guardians don't currently have a starter listed for Thursday's home game against the Orioles, so that start could fall to Bieber if he feels good during Tuesday's mound session. In his second and likely final rehab start this past Sunday at Triple-A Columbus, Bieber fanned seven and gave up no hits and three walks over 3.2 scoreless frames. He threw 64 pitches in the outing, so the righty would be relatively limited from a pitch-count perspective in his first start back, especially if he ends up getting the nod Thursday on three days' rest. Bieber has been sidelined since mid-July with right elbow inflammation.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Goes 3.2 innings in rehab start
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Bieber (elbow) struck out four and was charged with two runs (one earned) over 3.2 frames on no hits and one walk in his first rehab start with Double-A Akron on Tuesday.
Bieber was responsible for three runners reaching base, as he walked one and hit another two batters with pitches. Despite not reaching four innings, Bieber still managed to get his pitch count up to 50 on Tuesday. Bieber -- who has been sidelined since mid-July with right elbow inflammation -- appears to be in line for one more rehab start before returning from the 60-day injured list.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Rehab start set for Tuesday
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Bieber (elbow) is scheduled to make his first rehab start Tuesday with Double-A Akron.
Sidelined since the All-Star break with right elbow inflammation, Bieber was cleared to face hitters last week and has now graduated to the final phase of his recovery program. He's expected to toss three innings or around 55 pitches Tuesday, per Joe Noga of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Guardians manager Terry Francona has previously mentioned Sept. 20 as a loose target for Bieber's return from the 60-day injured list, so based on that timeline, the 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner could make two starts in the minors prior to being activated. Bieber went 5-6 with a 3.77 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 95:33 K:BB in 117 innings with Cleveland this season prior to being shut down with the injury.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Cleared to face hitters
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Bieber (elbow) is scheduled to face live hitters Thursday with High-A Lake County, MLB.com reports.
Bieber has been cleared to advance to the next phase of his rehab program for his right elbow injury after he threw an "up-and-down" bullpen session Monday without incident. If his upcoming live session goes well Thursday, Bieber could then be cleared to begin a rehab assignment. Guardians manager Terry Francona said Monday that he's tentatively targeting Sept. 20 for both Bieber and Triston McKenzie (elbow) to make their returns from the 60-day injured list, per Brian Dullik of The Associated Press.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Throwing all pitches off mound
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Bieber (elbow) threw all of his pitches during his latest bullpen session Wednesday, MLB.com reports.
Bieber's next bullpen session will be an "up and down" to simulate the breaks in between innings. If that goes off without a hitch, he's expected to be cleared to face hitters. Bieber has been sidelined since mid-July with right elbow inflammation, but he and the Guardians are still holding out hope that he could rejoin the rotation before the end of the season.
Bieber (elbow) extended his throwing distance off flat ground to 120 feet as of last Thursday, but he hasn't been cleared for mound work, MLB.com reports.
While Bieber appears to be making progress in his recovery from right elbow inflammation, he's moving slowly through his throwing program since initiating it Aug. 2. The Guardians maintain hope that Bieber will be ready to contribute at some point next month, but based on where he currently stands in his recovery from the elbow issue, he might not be ready to go when he's first eligible to return from the 60-day injured list Sept. 10.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Starts throwing again
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Bieber (elbow) was cleared to begin a throwing program Wednesday, MLB.com reports.
Bieber has reportedly been pain-free after picking up the ball for the first time since the All-Star break, but he's likely been limited to playing light catch thus far. The right-hander will gradually increase the distance of his long-toss throwing before graduating to bullpen sessions and then facing live hitters. Considering he still has multiple hurdles to clear in his recovery from right elbow inflammation and was placed on the 60-day injured list, Bieber won't be ready to rejoin the Guardians until around the middle of September in a best-case scenario.
