Toronto Blue Jays make massive deadline day trade for former Cy Young-winning pitcher
The Toronto Blue Jays appear to be making a splash at the trade deadline this year.
As per MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, the Blue Jays are “close” to trading with the Cleveland Guardians for former Cy Young-winning pitcher Shane Bieber.
Source: Jays close to acquiring Shane Bieber. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 31, 2025
The news was later confirmed by the Blue Jays themselves in a media release, under an hour after the first reports of the deal broke.
Who are the Blue Jays losing?
In a follow-up tweet, Morosi named Khal Stephen as the return for Cleveland. Stephen, a pitcher himself, was a 2024 second-round pick by the Blue Jays. He was recently ranked as the 80th best prospect in baseball by FanGraphs.
A 22-year-old, Stephen has been starring for the Blue Jays’ minor league affiliates in Dunedin and Vancouver.
Who are the Blue Jays getting in Bieber?
Bieber has yet to pitch at the major league level in 2025 while coming off a Tommy John surgery, but was undergoing a minor league rehab stint at the time of the trade.
He has 62 wins, 32 losses, an ERA of 3.22, and 958 strikeouts throughout his seven-year career. A 30-year-old from Orange, California, he is considered one of the best pitchers in baseball at his peak.
If the Blue Jays can manage a few starts out of Bieber in the next few months and use him in their postseason rotation, should they make it, it’s a no-brainer type of move for the team.
Bieber won the Cy Young in 2020, as well as the American League pitching Triple Crown. He has spent his entire career in Cleveland since being drafted by the franchise in 2016.
He is on a two-year contract, with a player option for 2026.
Lastly, if you were wondering, there’s no relation between Bieber and the famous Canadian pop star Justin of the same surname.
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