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Manager John Schneider said Thursday that Bieber (forearm) has progressed to throwing from 120 feet, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
The team has already confirmed that Bieber will begin the regular season on the injured list due to forearm fatigue -- something he pitched through during Toronto's playoff run in 2025. Schneider added that he expects Bieber to begin throwing bullpen sessions within the next two weeks, at which point more information may emerge regarding how much time the right-hander will miss to begin the new campaign.
Bieber will have a delayed build-up during spring training and will begin the season on the injured list due to right forearm fatigue, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
After making five appearances in the playoffs -- including Game 7 of the World Series versus the Dodgers -- Bieber reported to have pitched through forearm fatigue late in the year, and he's still not back up to full strength a few months later. The right-hander also made seven regular-season starts last season in his return from Tommy John surgery, and it's not a major surprise he's dealing with some fatigue after an extended playoff run. Manager John Schneider described Bieber as "feeling good," so he may not need too much time on the shelf to begin 2026.
Blue Jays' Shane Bieber: Coming back from forearm fatigue
Rotowire
Bieber dealt with right forearm fatigue toward the end of this season, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
It's not clear exactly when the issue popped up for Bieber, who was the last Blue Jays hurler to throw a pitch in Game 7 of the World Series against the Dodgers, serving up a go-ahead home run to Will Smith in the top of the 11th inning. General manager Ross Atkins said Monday that Bieber is "in a strong position" and the righty being ready for Opening Day is "a very realistic outcome." While the concern for Bieber doesn't currently seem to be high, the forearm issue and past Tommy John surgery surely weighed into the pitcher's decision to exercise a $16 million player option rather than test the open market. More should be known about Bieber's health status during spring training.
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Blue Jays' Shane Bieber: Workload could be eyed this spring
Rotowire
Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said Monday that the team could monitor Bieber's workload during spring training, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Bieber isn't dealing with any known injury, but the Blue Jays will be careful with him in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. The 30-year-old threw a total of 88 innings in 2025 after handling only 12 innings in 2024. Bieber exercised his $16 million player option for 2026 last month to remain with the Blue Jays rather than test the open market.
Bieber exercised his $16 million player option for 2026 on Tuesday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
After falling just one game short of capturing his first World Series title, Bieber will opt into another year with the Blue Jays and receive a $6 million raise in the process. The 30-year-old right-hander missed the first several months of the 2025 season while working his way back from Tommy John surgery but returned in time to make seven regular-season starts and post a 3.57 ERA across 40.1 innings. It remains to be seen how his surgically repaired elbow will hold up over the course of a full season, but the 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner is still deserving of fantasy attention heading into 2026.
Bieber earned the win during Game 4 of the World Series against the Dodgers on Tuesday, allowing one earned run on four hits and three walks while striking out three batters across 5.1 innings.
Bieber allowed the Dodgers to take a 1-0 lead in the second inning courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Enrique Hernandez, but the right-hander settled in nicely afterward, allowing just two of the next 12 batters he faced to reach base. He also did the Blue Jays' bullpen -- extremely fatigued from Monday's 18-inning marathon -- a solid by pitching into the sixth inning. Mason Fluharty returned the favor after Bieber's removal by stranding both of the inherited runners, keeping the latter in line for the win. Now carrying a 3.57 ERA through 17.2 innings in the postseason, the 30-year-old figures to have made his last start, though he could be available out of the bullpen going forward.
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