According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Toronto Blue Jays are acquiring right-handed pitcher Shane Bieber from the Cleveland Guardians. In return, the Blue Jays are sending right-handed pitching prospect Khal Stephen to Cleveland. Bieber has been sidelined throughout the entire first half of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery after his first two starts of the 2024 season. However, the right-hander has begun a rehab assignment and is quickly approaching his season debut. In his most recent outing with Double-A Akron, Bieber tossed four innings of one-run ball and struck out seven. Fantasy managers should monitor his status as the Blue Jays may opt for him to make a few rehab outings with Triple-A Buffalo before joining the MLB roster. When he does enter the rotation, fantasy managers should expect Eric Lauer to either shift to the No. 6 role or operate in a long-relief role out of the bullpen. Given his strikeout upside, the former AL Cy Young winner is worth adding in all standard leagues ahead of his season debut.

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) looked good in his latest minor-league rehab start with Double-A Akron on Tuesday, allowing an earned run on three hits while walking none and striking out seven in four innings of work. Bieber was initially scheduled to make his third rehab start on Sunday with Triple-A Columbus before it was rained out. The 30-year-old former Cy Young winner will probably need one more rehab start on the farm before the Guardians consider activating him from the 60-day injured list. With Bieber getting close to making his 2025 debut after recovering from Tommy John surgery, there's a chance that contending teams will make a play to trade for him despite the fact he has a $16 million player option for next year. Fantasy managers should temper expectations for Bieber when he returns, but given his past success, he's worth stashing now that he's close to a return.

According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the Guardians are more likely to be sellers at the MLB Trade Deadline after the loss of closer Emmanuel Clase to non-disciplinary leave. He mentions both outfielder Steven Kwan and starting pitcher Shane Bieber (elbow) as top trade chips the team could move. Kwan is getting lots of interest with the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Phillies, and Padres all in the mix. Kwan typically does a great job getting on base and is hitting .287 this year with nine homers, a .334 wOBA, and 11 stolen bases. He's under club control for two more seasons after this year, so the asking price is sure to be extremely high. Bieber is another interesting option for teams to consider since he's just returning from Tommy John surgery in April of 2024. He is making a rehab start in Double-A on Tuesday and is expected to be heavily scouted as teams evaluate if he can help them this year. He has a $16 million player option for 2026, which he could use to hit the open market this offseason, making him more of a short-term rental for the stretch run than a longer-term solution like Kwan.

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) is scheduled to throw around 55 pitches in his next minor-league rehab start on Sunday, according to MLB.com's Tim Stebbins. It's unclear where Bieber will be pitching, but Stebbins notes that both Triple-A Columbus and High-A Lake County are home this weekend. In his three rehab starts to this point (two in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League), the 30-year-old veteran has allowed just one earned run on four hits while walking one and striking out 14 in 7 1/3 innings pitched. The former Cy Young winner and two-time All-Star hasn't pitched all year and made just two starts in 2024 before being shut down, so he might require at least several more rehab starts before he's a realistic candidate to join the big-league starting rotation. Fantasy managers will want to temper expectations for Bieber to close out the year.

The Cleveland Guardians have made right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) "available" leading up to the July 31 trade deadline, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Bieber underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2024 and hasn't pitched in the majors since then. The former Cy Young winner is progressing in his minor-league rehab assignment, though, and could return in August. Bieber is in the first season of a two-year, $26 million contract, but he could opt out of a $16 million player option in favor of a $4 million buyout in the offseason. The 30-year-old is likely to do that if he returns to health and pitches well down the stretch, but it's anyone's guess how he'll look on the heels of a serious procedure and a lengthy absence. The Guardians sit a manageable 2 1/2 games out of playoff position and don't look like clear-cut sellers, which further complicates matters.

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) was sharp in a rehab start with High-A Lake County on Tuesday. The former AL Cy Young winner threw three innings of one-run ball with two hits allowed, four strikeouts, and no walks over 43 pitches (30 strikes). Bieber is getting closer to a major league return as he recovers from April 2024 Tommy John surgery, though that's unlikely to come until August. The 30-year-old threw just 12 innings last season before undergoing the procedure. In more extensive action in 2023, Bieber put up a 3.80 ERA with 107 strikeouts and 34 walks over 128 frames.

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Shane Bieber (elbow) will make his next rehab appearance on Tuesday with one of the Guardians' minor league affiliates, according to MLB.com. Bieber is working his way back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in April 2024. He's made two rehab appearances in the Arizona Complex League, throwing 4 1/3 innings with 11 strikeouts. A setback delayed the 30-year-old in June, but he appears to be back on track for a late-season return in 2025. Bieber's last full season came in 2023, when he threw 128 innings (21 starts) and went 6-6 with a 3.80 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 107 strikeouts. He's likely at least a few more rehab outings away from a big-league return, but this latest news is an encouraging sign.

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) was sharp in his rehab start against the Dodgers in the Arizona Complex League. He threw two innings, allowed one hit, no runs, one walk, and struck out five batters. While the line is solid for Bieber in this one, the most crucial thing will be that he does not experience any additional setbacks after the start. No issues have been reported to date, which is very encouraging. Bieber is recovering from Tommy John surgery last year. During his rehab journey, he experienced a minor setback in early June, which has unfortunately slowed down his timeline to return by about a month. Since the setback, he has worked his way back up from bullpens to live hitters, and Tuesday's rehab start is another encouraging sign. Fantasy managers will want to continue to monitor his progress, but it seems likely that the Guardians will want to ramp him up to 70-75 pitches before we see him return to the Majors.

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) is scheduled to make his first rehab start Tuesday in the Arizona Complex League after suffering a setback in his Tommy John recovery last month. The 30-year-old is expected to throw around two innings or 35 pitches as he works toward an August return. Bieber made only two starts in 2024 before tearing the UCL in his right elbow, allowing no runs and striking out 20 batters across 12 innings. He has spent his entire career in Cleveland and could be a key addition to a pitching staff that ranks 18th in MLB with a 3.92 team ERA.

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) threw 41 pitches in a live batting practice session Thursday, and then tossed BP against teammate Gabriel Arias (ankle) on Friday. It's encouraging progress for Bieber, who's on the road back from April 2024 Tommy John surgery. The Guardians are hopeful that the former Cy Young winner will return sometime this month. Bieber, 30, hasn't pitched in a major league game in over 15 months.

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) threw a July 1 bullpen session that went "really well," according to manager Stephen Vogt. The Guardians are determining next steps for the former AL Cy Young winner. Bieber suffered a setback a few weeks ago in his recovery from April 2024 Tommy John surgery, but he has gotten back on track since then. The Guardians are optimistic that he'll return in the second half of July. Bieber totaled just 12 innings last season after posting a 3.80 ERA with 7.52 K/9 and 2.39 BB/9 over 128 frames in 2023. Having undergone major surgery since then, fantasy managers should temper expectations when the former ace comes back this year.

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) is expected to progress to throwing live batting practice this week, according to MLB.com. Bieber threw bullpen sessions featuring all of his pitches on June 24, 26 and 27 as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery. The 30-year-old veteran is currently on the 60-day injured list but could be activated to make his 2025 season debut by mid-to-late July. Fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if Bieber doesn't make it back until August, but barring a setback, he's fully expected to rejoin the Guardians' starting rotation at some point in the second half. While Bieber could be useful as a back-of-the-rotation arm in mixed fantasy leagues, expectations should be tempered for a pitcher who looked like he was on the decline before his elbow issues. The former Cy Young winner's velocity and strikeout rates had dropped noticeably in 2023.

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) has been ramping up his activities over the past few days, throwing a 20-pitch bullpen on Tuesday and throwing another one on Thursday, and "felt really good," manager Stephen Vogt said. At this point, it remains unclear whether Bieber will resume his rehab assignment or if further preparation is necessary. Bieber was ramping up in early June in Double-A Akron and the rookie-level Arizona Complex League before experiencing minor elbow soreness, which he has seemingly overcome after a few weeks off, and has now followed that up with a few bullpen sessions. Fantasy managers will want to continue to stash Bieber on their injured list spots, as he is a former Cy Young award winner with a career 3.22 ERA in 843 innings pitched and could contribute over the last month of the season and into the playoffs.

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) received a positive update this week on his surgically-repaired elbow. Bieber, who is recovering from April 2024 Tommy John surgery, had to halt his rehab last week after experiencing soreness. Dr. Keith Meister informed Bieber he's dealing with normal soreness, not any structural damage. Manager Stephen Vogt expects Bieber to "resume his throwing program in the next few days," per Josh Kirshenbaum of MLB.com. The former Cy Young winner's return to the majors is not imminent, but at least he remains on track to pitch in the bigs this year.

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) will be shut down from throwing until the middle of next week after soreness surfaced in his surgically-repaired right elbow last week, according to MLB.com's Zack Meisel. Bieber will be re-evaluated then to determine if he's ready to continue his throwing progression. After reporting soreness following a recent bullpen session, Bieber was scratched from his scheduled minor-league rehab start with Double-A Akron on Friday, and he was also scheduled to meet with Dr. Keith Meister. It sounds like the 30-year-old veteran doesn't have any structural damage after having Tommy John surgery in April of last year. In a best-case scenario, Bieber probably won't make his 2025 debut until August. He's a two-time All-Star and former Cy Young winner, but Bieber will be a true wild card when he returns and will also have a strict cap on his workload.

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) has been scratched from his minor-league rehab start on Friday for Double-A Akron after reporting right-elbow soreness after throwing a bullpen session the other day, according to MLB.com's Zack Meisel. Bieber met with team doctors and will consult with Dr. Keith Meister to figure out the next step. The 30-year-old's first rehab start came in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, where Bieber threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings. It's unclear exactly what this means for Bieber, but it's not great news after he made only two starts in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. Even without a setback with his surgically-repaired right elbow, the two-time All-Star and former American League Cy Young winner was looking at a 2025 debut in the second half of the season. Any setbacks at this juncture could result in Bieber missing all of this year. Stay tuned.

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Shane Bieber (elbow) was sharp on the mound during a rehab start for Rookie-level Arizona Complex League on Saturday. Bieber tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings while striking out five batters along the way. This was his first start since having Tommy John surgery last year. This is only the beginning for Bieber, but it's a solid start. He figures to need a handful of starts before being cleared to return to the big league rotation. The hope is that Bieber can contribute in the Guardians' rotation by early July.

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) will make his first minor-league rehab start on Saturday in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, according to Guardians Prospective. Bieber is progressing from Tommy John surgery in April of last year and is finally ready to resume pitching in games. It's a big step for the two-time All-Star and former American League Cy Young winner, but he still has a ways to go and isn't expected to make his 2025 debut until after the All-Star break in mid-July. Like all pitchers returning from TJ surgery, Bieber will be a wild card for both the Guardians and fantasy managers when he returns later this season. The former fantasy ace was trending in the wrong direction with both his strikeout and walk rates before his elbow injury, which will make him even more unpredictable when he rejoins Cleveland's starting rotation.

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Shane Bieber (elbow) threw live batting practice on Friday. According to manager Stephen Vogt, the session went "well," but he still has a "ways to go." Bieber is working his way back from Tommy John surgery. Bieber underwent the surgery after logging just 12 innings during the start of the 2024 season. During those 12 innings, Bieber looked sharp as he struck out 20 batters, did not allow a run, and held a 0.92 WHIP. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression, but the 29-year-old will likely not be in the mix to return to the majors until the second half of the campaign. However, seeing that he is already throwing live batting practice, the right-hander could be in line to make his first rehab appearance in June. When he does return, he should hold solid value in standard formats, as he posted a 3.80 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP across 128 innings in 2023.

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) is scheduled to start throwing in extended spring training games at the team's spring training complex in Arizona in May. The Arizona Complex League Opening Day is this Saturday, May 3. Bieber still has a ways to go while recovering from Tommy John surgery that he had in mid-April of last year, though, so fantasy managers stashing him need to remain patient. The 29-year-old veteran will eventually need to go on a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment and will not be ready to make his 2025 season debut until around the All-Star break in mid-July. Bieber has been excellent for fantasy managers in the past, but you shouldn't be expecting greatness in the second half this year for a pitcher whose velocity and strikeouts have been heading in the wrong direction.