Sources: Guardians trade Bieber to Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays are finalizing a trade to acquire former Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber from the Cleveland Guardians, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Bieber has not pitched in the majors since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2024 but has made three minor-league rehab starts in recent weeks and could provide a boost to Toronto's veteran starting rotation.

The first-place Blue Jays are expected to trade minor-league right-hander Khal Stephen to the Guardians in exchange for Bieber, sources told Passan.

Bieber, 30, worked four innings in his most recent minor-league rehab outing Tuesday with Double-A Akron, striking out seven on 57 pitches. The right-hander had been slated for his next rehab start Sunday at Triple-A Columbus and was expected to rejoin Cleveland's rotation at some point in August.

Bieber is a two-time All-Star who won the AL Cy Young in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, when he led the league in wins (8), ERA (1.63) and strikeouts (122). He is 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA over parts of seven seasons with the Guardians.

The Blue Jays, who entered Thursday with a four-game lead over the New York Yankees atop the AL East, have a team ERA of 4.27, the ninth-worst in the majors.

Bieber would join a Blue Jays rotation that includes Kevin Gausman, Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt and Jose Berrios. Veteran left-hander Eric Lauer has served as Toronto's fifth starter over the last two months but could return to a bullpen role once Bieber is ready to return to the majors.