The Toronto Blue Jays in the second half of the season will not only be competing for the best record in the American League, but they will also be looking to clinch their first AL East division title since 2015. The Blue Jays are currently tied for first place in the AL with the Detroit Tigers at 65-48 and are on top of their division by three games ahead of the Boston Red Sox.
It has been quite the turnaround for a team that finished last in the division just a year ago. To help reach the two goals that the Blue Jays are aiming for, Toronto made several moves at the MLB trade deadline to improve its roster. The highlight was acquiring Cleveland Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber, who, before Tommy John surgery last April, had quite the track record as a frontline starter.
Bieber has still yet to throw a meaningful pitch for his new team, but he's already giving Jays fans reason to feel confident.
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Shane Bieber showing great progress in rehab starts
Bieber has had a long road to recovery from Tommy John surgery over the past year. The eight-year veteran has shown great progress in rehab starts for both the Guardians and Blue Jays Minor League affiliates of late, and he could make his first start with Toronto just in time for a postseason run.
Bieber was impressive in his first rehab start with the Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons; he recorded six strikeouts in five innings.
Shane Bieber looking sharp 👀
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 3, 2025
In his first start as a member of the @BlueJays' organization, the rehabbing right-hander racks up six punchouts over five strong innings for the @BuffaloBisons. pic.twitter.com/JgzurLLSpB
Shane Bieber can help the Blue Jays make a postseason run
At full strength, Bieber can play a critical role in helping the Blue Jays make a run at their first American League title since 1993. While the righty is slowly progressing back to where he was before he underwent Tommy John surgery, the trade to get him could end up being the biggest steal of the season if it leads to success in the playoffs.
Bieber has been a part of two postseason teams with the Cleveland Guardians, and his experience pitching in the playoffs will benefit the Blue Jays. He has a 1-1 postseason pitching record in three starts. All three starts were against the New York Yankees, which ended in Cleveland losing the series.
Bieber's first appearance in the postseason in 2020 went horribly as he was dominated by the Yankees in Game 1of the AL Wild Card series. Bieber performed much better against the Yankees in the ALDS two years later, recording a 2.03 ERA and 15 strikeouts in two starts.
The Blue Jays are hoping that in the postseason that he can have a similar performance, like he did in 2022. Bieber is set to join a pitching rotation for Toronto that includes Kevin Gausman, Max Scherzer, Jose Berrios, and Chris Bassitt.