Shane Bieber’s return to the Cleveland Guardians carries significant personal and professional meaning. The former Cy Young Award winner re-signed with the Guardians on Wednesday, a decision that seemed unlikely after he became a free agent following last season. The 29-year-old pitcher opted to remain with the AL Central champions after making only two starts in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Despite receiving other offers, none matched the familiarity and support he found in Cleveland. “It’s the relationships,” Bieber said during a Zoom call. “The development staff, the coaching staff, my teammates. Having continuity and familiarity in those realms can be beneficial not only to me but to my family and everyone involved.”
Bieber’s new contract is a one-year deal worth $14 million, which includes a $16 million player option for 2026.
Not long ago, it appeared that Bieber, who has a career record of 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA over 132 starts for Cleveland, was leaning toward continuing his career elsewhere. He had previously rejected long-term offers from the Guardians, and many speculated he would sign with a contender, likely on the West Coast. However, the California native has a deep connection with the Guardians, who drafted him in the fourth round in 2016. The injury and subsequent surgery helped him realize that he was already in the right place.
“I had plenty of great meetings with other clubs,” he noted. “Everybody handled everything first-class, and I have great things to say about many other organizations. Ultimately, Cleveland made the call, and I was happy to receive it and come to terms. I’m happy with where I’m at. My family’s ecstatic. It was clearly the right decision for us.”
Bieber, who won the AL Cy Young Award in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, pitched just 12 innings last season before persistent elbow issues led to surgery. He is expected to rejoin Cleveland’s rotation at some point in 2025. Currently, he is throwing three times a week at a distance of 90 feet and is encouraged by his progress, although the timeline for his return to game action remains uncertain.
“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 one. So there’s a long way to go.”
A two-time All-Star, Bieber gained national recognition in 2019 when he was named MVP of the All-Star Game held in Cleveland. He boasts the highest strikeout ratio per nine innings (10.2) and the third-highest winning percentage (.660) in the franchise’s 124-year history. Bieber is also one of only three Cleveland pitchers to start five season openers, joining Stan Coveleski (1917-21) and Corey Kluber (2015-19).
Though he had experienced elbow issues in the past, Bieber did not appear to be struggling before his season ended abruptly. He struck out 11 batters in six scoreless innings against Oakland on March 28 and followed that performance with another six shutout innings against Seattle on April 2.
In the days following his surgery, Bieber became emotional during a news conference at Progressive Field, understanding that his life would change significantly and that baseball would take a backseat for the time being. It took him a while to fully grasp his new reality.
To cope, he focused on his recovery and found joy in watching his teammates navigate an unexpected season that culminated in a division title. Although he wasn’t contributing on the field as he had in the past, the challenges he faced provided him with valuable perspective.
“It was a hard season for me and my family, but it was a great one,” he reflected. “We’re expecting a baby, and it was a season full of growth. I’m very excited to continue that into 2025.”
Related topics
