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The Toronto Blue Jays should forget about Shane Bieber returning to his usual role as a starting pitcher this season.
The Toronto Blue Jays got some less-than-encouraging news on Shane Bieber earlier this week. Bieber will miss some time due to “forearm fatigue,” The Athletic noted.
That situation shouldn’t be a surprise considering that Bieber is still getting back to full strength following Tommy John Surgery. It generally takes pitchers a while to get back to full strength, even after clearing to pitch in the Majors.
The fact is that most starting pitchers never fully regain the stamina they once had prior to the surgery. It’s not that pitchers “lost their stuff.” It’s just that pitching arms can’t handle the same type of workload. That’s the workload that leads to the surgery in the first place.
That’s the Blue Jays should forget about Shane Bieber ever starting again. While he’s still very much an effective pitcher, it doesn’t seem like he’ll be able to handle the typical demands of the average starting pitcher.
The best thing the Jays can do at this point is move Bieber to the bullpen when he’s ready to join the team. The Jays can better manage his innings without risking the uncertainty of filling the starts Bieber could miss due to maintenance.
It wouldn’t be a demotion by any means. It would just be a smart way of managing a still very talented arm.
Blue Jays Should Follow Dodgers’ Lead
The Los Angeles Dodgers faced a similar situation with Shohei Ohtani last season. Ohtani was coming off his second Tommy John surgery, necessitating a measured approach in getting him back on the mound.
The Dodgers took their time in ramping up Ohtani until he was ready to hit the mound mid-season. That’s the sort of approach the Blue Jays could take with Bieber. Bieber, of course, is much further along than Ohtani was at this time last season.
But when Ohtani returned, he pitched out of the bullpen. Since the Blue Jays don’t really need Bieber as a starter, the team could actually bring him into a relief role.
Now, that’s something the Blue Jays could certainly benefit from. While Bieber wouldn’t be a late-inning high-leverage guy, he could occupy that much-needed long-man, swing-role type of reliever.
Bieber Could Still Start If Needed
The swing-man role often involves making spot starts. For instance, bullpen games feature such a pitcher as an opener. Openers don’t need to go five or six innings. Getting two or even three good innings from an opener is more than enough.
Bieber can certainly come in, face a batting order once through, and then turn the game over to the rest of the bullpen.
That’s the sort of move John Schneider will need to keep in mind moving forward. It’s not that Bieber will become redundant. It’s that the Blue Jays must find the best situation for Bieber to thrive.
Who knows, Bieber may find a new lease on his MLB career like John Smoltz did. Smoltz was a Cy Young starter, but transitioned to the bullpen following Tommy John surgery. He became a closer despite not having typical closer stuff.
That could be a path forward for Bieber. Things sometimes work out for the best.
Nestor Quixtan Seasoned NHL analyst and baseball writer focused on covering clubs across each league with news, analysis, and insights. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Nestor’s singular experiences and background have enabled him to bring a different take on the sports world as a whole. Nestor’s fondness for baseball and hockey set the tone for his love and passion for writing about sports. More about Nestor Quixtan
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