CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians have traded former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber to the Blue Jays.
Bieber, who won the Cy Young in 2020, has been recovering from Tommy John surgery since April of 2024. He made a rehab start for Class AA Akron on Tuesday in which he threw four innings.
The Guardians received right-hander Khal Stephen from the Jays. He’s 9-1 with a 2.06 ERA at Class AA New Hampshire, but is currently on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement.
Stephen was Toronto’s second round pick in 2024. He has 99 strikeouts in 91 2/3 innings in 18 games, including 17 starts. The opposition is hitting .196 against him.
The 22-year-old Stephen has pitched at three different levels for the Jays this year. He was listed recently by MLB Pipeline as the fifth best prospect in Toronto’s minor league system. FanGraphs ranked him as the 80th best prospect in all of minor league baseball.
The Blue Jays drafted him out of Mississippi State.
The 6-4, 215-pound right-hander started this season at Class A Dunedin, going 3-0 with a 2.06 ERA in eight appearances, including seven starts. He was promoted to Class A Vancouver where he posted a 1.49 ERA in nine starts. Stephen made one start at Double-A New Hampshire before being placed on the injured list on July 20.
So, the deal was a swap for injured pitchers currently on the injured list.
The Guardians drafted Bieber in 2016 and re-signed him as a free agent after the 2024 season. It’s unclear when Bieber will be able to take the mound in a big-league game for the Blue Jays.
Thursday’s trade deadline is 6 p.m.
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