Guardians found suitable to re-sign former All-Star starting pitcher

How will the Cleveland Guardians upgrade their starting pitching depth this offseason? That’s the question on everyone’s mind as the front office shifts its focus to 2025 and beyond.

One way to start those upgrades could be bringing back Shane Bieber, the top of their rotation for the past five years.

The 29-year-old is a free agent for the first time in his career, but his market value is somewhat of a mystery as he is still recovering from Tommy John surgery and his injury history in recent seasons.

Still, The Athletic’s Jim Bowden takes a look at Bieber as the “best signing this offseason due to his upside,” and the MLB analyst and former MLB General Manager identified the 2020 Cy Young winner as a fit to re-sign with the Guardians.

He made just two starts this year before undergoing Tommy John surgery, which will keep him out of commission until at least next summer. However, if he returns healthy, whoever signs him could have a Cy Young-caliber pitcher for the second half.” of the season,” Bowden wrote.

Bowden looks at the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas RangersAnd San Diego Padres like other teams, that would suit Bieber.

Cleveland doesn’t normally bring back its big starting pitcher after team control is over. In fact, it generally trades them for more value before their contract expires.

However, the Bieber situation feels different than previous pitchers. Cleveland’s front office has already admitted that they would like to have Bieber back next season, and there is reportedly mutual interest between both parties.

A lot of this could depend on the financial implications of a contract, but the Guardians certainly seem like a good fit and a contender to bring back their ace this season.