Since April of last season, Shane Bieber, a previous Cy Young Award winner, has not played for the Cleveland Guardians. Delaying his 2025 debut, the 30-year-old starter has been recuperating from Tommy John surgery. However, it may take Stephen Vogt even longer to get his ace back. Due to discomfort, Bieber will not be able to start in Akron on Friday as planned.
For almost a year, Bieber has been out of the major leagues due to his injuries. But before Thursday’s announcement, he made two rehab starts on his way back to the Guardians’ squad. According to Zack Meisel of The Athletic, the organization shut down the veteran once more after he alerted physicians about his problems during his most recent bullpen session. Since Bieber departed their lineup, Cleveland has been extremely careful about his comeback, hoping the righty will return at a high level.
The squad won’t rush Bieber’s return, but his services might be useful in Vogt’s rotation. Tommy John procedures include a high risk of re-injury and lengthy recovery periods. Nevertheless, after undergoing the operation and the recuperation period, several pitchers have demonstrated that they are still capable of being at the highest level. Cleveland is hoping Bieber can follow in the footsteps of Chris Sale, the 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner and starting for the Atlanta Braves.
Without Bieber, the Guardians advanced to the American League Championship Series the previous season. Cleveland feels they are poised for a championship after coming within three games of winning the World Series. After a lackluster start to the season, Bieber’s return would provide a much-needed lift.
The Guardians have a lot of work ahead of them in 2025, even though they won the AL Central last year. They will once more face competition from the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals in the latter stages of the season. The division is one of the more intriguing in the league because of it and the Minnesota Twins’ recent run of dominance.
The squad eagerly awaits information, although Bieber’s return may still be over a month away. Vogt and the Guardians might go on a run and challenge the Tigers for first place in their division if they can get him back in time.
