On Aug. 25, the Toronto Blue Jays placed starter Shane Bieber on the 15-day IL with right teres major inflammation. Moreover, this news comes after Bieber missed much of the first half of the season due to lingering elbow and forearm issues.
As a result, the question is whether Bieber has a future in Toronto. Since joining the Blue Jays midway through the 2025 season, Bieber has a 9-4 record with an ERA of 4.03 and 81 strikeouts in 18 appearances, per StatMuse.
Bieber will be a free agent after this season, and former MLB general manager Steve Phillips shared his outlook on the veteran’s future, as there’s no guarantee it will be in Toronto.
“I think he signs a one-year contract next year, and it’s a pillow contract, hoping that he can show that he’s back healthy and can sustain a whole season and then try to get a bigger deal after that,” Phillips said during an Aug. 25 appearance on TSN’s “Overdrive.”
“So he’s not a qualifying offer guy. I can’t possibly risk whatever that number will be… He’ll be one of those guys who signs late, tries to find the right team, a ballpark that would be the right fit and a team behind him that would be the right fit.
“The Jays, I think, certainly would potentially qualify as that. But even when you do it and sign him back, you know that you’re bringing somebody back in that you want to count on, and he’s not somebody who is that reliable right now. And so you better have a backup for him if you do it.”
Steve Phillips on Shane Bieber’s Injury
Moreover, Phillips shared on whether the Blue Jays should have any hopes of Bieber returning for the final month of the season as Toronto is making a push for the postseason through the final Wild Card spot.
“You start talking about what is it, a teres major strain, at times those could take a long time to heal,” Phillips added. “So we don’t know the grade, we don’t know the significance. I mean, he threw great, and then maybe he came out of it with a cramp. Maybe it won’t be as significant or serious, but it sure feels like it’s daunting.”
Steve Phillips: Blue Jays Playoff Hopes Takes Major Hit
While the Blue Jays are looking to get hot and finish in that final Wild Card spot, Phillips has major doubts that Toronto can secure it after losing Bieber. Toronto is currently in the middle of a series against the Kansas City Royals and have lost three of their last five games.
“You put him on the IL, so he’s going to miss at least a couple starts, and they can’t afford a couple starts because when you go bullpen day instead of Bieber, or when you go Simeon Woods Richardson or Spencer Arrighetti, and they can only go four innings, it’s what you’re doing to the bullpen for the rest of the time when you’re going to need high-leverage relievers and they’re going to have been overworked already for a bullpen that’s so overworked, the most overworked in all of baseball,” Phillips noted.
“So, I mean, it can happen, but this really, really, really put a dent in any potential playoff hopes from my perspective.”
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