Former Cy Young Award Pitcher Quickly Becomes Toronto Blue Jays Free Agent

Toronto Blue Jays v Washington Nationals

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WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 28: Starting pitcher Shane Bieber #57 of the Toronto Blue Jays is pulled by Manager John Schneider in the first inning after giving up three runs on bases loaded walks against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Now that the 2026 MLB season is over, hot stove season is right around the corner, and it’s expected that the Toronto Blue Jays will do a lot of roster shuffling over the next month or so.

One player that Toronto’s front office will have to make a decision on is pitcher Shane Bieber.

Bieber has been effective while on the mound, but injuries have slowed him down a bit in recent seasons.

Let’s take a quick look at Bieber’s free agency, his time with the Blue Jays, and some of his career accolades.

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Shane Bieber Now an MLB Free Agent

Toronto Blue Jays v Tampa Bay Rays — GettyST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – AUGUST 20: Shane Bieber #57 of the Toronto Blue Jays delivers a pitch in the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on August 20, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

MLB.com noted that Bieber has elected free agency:

“RHP Shane Bieber elected free agency.”

Bieber is one of eight Blue Jays players who are now on the open market.

In 2026, Bieber logged just 55.2 innings pitched, and over that sample size, he held an ERA of 4.37.

In 2025, his first season with the Blue Jays, Bieber was also held to under 60 innings pitched, but his ERA was slightly better (3.57 over 40+ IP). Bieber struck out a total of 81 batters over the last two seasons with the Jays.

He’s pretty far removed from it, but Bieber won the AL Cy Young in 2020, and this will be his second go-around in MLB free agency to try and land a lucrative deal, but some teams may be hesitant to sign him to a multi-year deal due to his recent injury history.

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Quickly Looking at Shane Bieber’s MLB Career

Toronto Blue Jays v Houston Astros — GettyHOUSTON, TEXAS – AUGUST 03: Shane Bieber #57 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches during the first inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on August 03, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Shane Bieber is a 2X MLB All-Star starter over nine total seasons in MLB.

He’s made 152 starts in his career, and Bieber carries a lifetime pitching record of 71-36, with a pWAR of 19.1, a career ERA of 3.31, and 1039 total strikeouts.

As noted, Bieber has been a very solid starter when on the mound, so it’s fair to think his market will be vast, but a lot of clubs will need assurance that he’s healthy enough to make at least 15-20 starts.

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