Starting pitcher Shane Bieber has decided to return to the Toronto Blue Jays next season rather than hit the open market as a free agent.
He exercised his $16 million U.S. player option for the 2026 season, the team announced Wednesday.
Bieber, 30, was 4-2 with a 3.57 earned run average for Toronto after being acquired from the Cleveland Guardians at the trade deadline last summer.
His return will bolster a starting rotation that will likely include ace Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Jose Berrios and possibly Eric Lauer. It's unclear whether right-handers Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt will return, as both are free agents.
Bieber posted a 2-1 postseason record with a 3.86 ERA. He picked up a road win in Game 4 over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series and pitched in relief in Game 7.
Bieber gave up a home run to Will Smith in the 11th inning of the Blue Jays' 5-4 loss at Rogers Center.
Since making his major league debut with Cleveland in 2018, Bieber has a 66-34 record and 3.24 ERA. He won the American League Cy Young Award in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign after going 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA for the Guardians.
Bieber allowed two hits over six innings in his Toronto debut on Aug. 22, his first major league start since Tommy John surgery in April 2024.
His return in 2026 comes as something of a surprise, as he likely could have signed a lucrative long-term deal on the open market. By returning to the Blue Jays, he will have a chance to further increase his value on a team that is expected to contend again next year.
Toronto won 94 games last season and captured the AL East Division title.
The Blue Jays defeated the New York Yankees in the AL Division Series and the Seattle Mariners in the AL Championship Series before losing to the Dodgers.
Spring training begins in mid-February. The Blue Jays begin the 2026 season on March 26 against the visiting Athletics.
