4 trades Blue Jays could be forced to make if Alek Manoah stinks again

2. Blue Jays can trade for former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber

Shane Bieber managed to survive the offseason as a member of the Cleveland Guardians, but that doesn't mean he will survive the trade deadline. The 28-year-old enters the final year of his contract coming off of arguably the worst season of his professional career.

The good news? Bieber's so-called "worst" season isn't all that bad. He posted a respectable 3.80 ERA and 1.234 WHIP across 21 starts, managing 107 strikeouts in 128.0 innings pitched. The bad news? He missed two months with elbow inflammation and saw his velocity crater. That has been a worrying trend with Bieber over the last few years. He averaged 91.3 MPH on his fastball in 2023, in the 12th percentile. That is down from the 50th percentile (93.0 MPH) when he entered the league in 2018.

We are only a few short years removed from Bieber's Cy Young victory during the COVID-impacted 2020 season. Bieber is a two-time All-Star on the right side of 30, so he absolutely still has value on the open market. That can be a double-edged sword, though. That will make him more difficult to retain in the offseason, and it makes him more costly at the deadline. Those are factors the Blue Jays front office will need to consider.

It's difficult to get a solid read on Bieber's outlook at this point. The natural talent is well-documented. Maybe all he needs is some good injury luck and a change in environment. The Guardians weren't terrible last season, but Toronto is a more competitive group. Maybe Bieber gets north of the border and regains his vigor on the mound.