Shane Bieber’s return to Cleveland carries special significance on multiple levels.
The former Cy Young winner re-signed with the Guardians on Wednesday, a move that seemed unlikely when he became a free agent after last season. However, the 29-year-old decided to stay with the AL Central champions after making only two starts in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Bieber had other offers, but none of them matched what he already had in Cleveland.
“It’s the relationships,” Bieber said on a Zoom call. “The development staff. The coaching staff. My teammates. Having continuity and familiarity in those realms I feel like can prove beneficial not only to me but my family and everybody really involved.
“That was big for me to feel confident in my rehab where I’m at right now. Nobody knows me as well as Cleveland does and vice versa, so I’m happy to be continuing with them.”
Bieber agreed to a one-year, $14 million contract last week, which includes a $16 million player option for 2026.
At one point, it seemed like Bieber, who has a 62-32 record with a 3.22 ERA in 132 starts over seven seasons with Cleveland, would leave for another team. He had previously turned down long-term offers from the Guardians, and it was expected he would join another contender, likely on the West Coast.
But the California native has a special bond with the Guardians, who picked him in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. Even though the injury and surgery were setbacks, they helped Bieber realize that he was already in the right place.
“I had plenty of great meetings and beneficial and progressive meetings with other ball clubs,” he said. “Everybody handled everything first class all the way, and I’ve got great things to say about plenty of other organizations.
“Cleveland made the call and I was happy to receive it and come to terms and so I’m happy with where I’m at. My family’s ecstatic. It was very clearly the right decision for not only myself, my family, and we’re excited to continue it.”
Bieber, who won the AL Cy Young Award in 2020, pitched only 12 innings last season before his elbow issues led to surgery. He is expected to return to Cleveland’s rotation in 2025.
He’s been throwing three times a week at 90 feet and is encouraged by his progress. However, there’s no clear timeline for when he’ll return to game action.
“I’m pushing, pushing, pushing,” he said. “I feel great. I haven’t skipped a beat. When I ask for a (return) date, they don’t even give me a date. So there’s a long way to go.”
A two-time All-Star, Bieber gained national attention in 2019 when he was named MVP of the All-Star Game in Cleveland. He has the highest strikeout ratio per nine innings (10.2) and third-highest winning percentage (.660) in the franchise’s 124-year history.
Bieber is one of just three Cleveland pitchers to start five season openers, joining Stan Coveleski (1917-21) and Corey Kluber (2015-19).
Although Bieber had some elbow problems in the past, he didn’t appear to be struggling before being sidelined. He struck out 11 in six scoreless innings against Oakland on March 28, and then threw another six shutout innings at Seattle on April 2.
However, just days later, his season was over. He became emotional during a news conference at Progressive Field, realizing that baseball, as he knew it, would have to take a backseat for now.
Bieber said it took time to fully accept his new reality. He focused on his recovery and found comfort in watching his teammates succeed in what turned out to be an unexpected season, leading to a division title.
Even though he wasn’t on the field contributing in his usual way, the challenges of the season gave him a fresh perspective.
“It’s provided a lot of perspective,” he said. “It was a hard season this year for me and my family, but it was a great one. We’re expecting a baby and it was a season full of growth and I’m very excited to continue that into 2025.”
