Shane Bieber Landing Spots: 3 potential destinations for former Cy Young winner after injury-plagued season
It will be an exciting offseason for former Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber. Although the veteran starter is one of the best pitchers in the MLB, he is recovering from Tommy John Surgery, which will see him miss at least half of the 2025 campaign.
That being said, Bieber will undoubtedly draw interest from several clubs looking to bolster their pitching rotation. Before his injury, Bieber was excellent for the Cleveland Guardians.
While he was limited to 12.0 innings last season, he did not surrender a single run and racked up 20 strikeouts. He will certainly draw interest across the league.
Here's a look at 3 potential landing spots for Shane Bieber in free agency
#1. Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are looking to return to the postseason for the first time since 2020. To do so, they will need to address some of their roster needs. One of those areas is their pitching staff. Even though Bieber would not be available at the start of the year, when he is healthy, he would be a massive upgrade for the Cubs.
The fact that he is coming off major surgery could also help in contract negotiations, which could benefit the Cubs. Bringing Shane Bieber into a rotation with Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele and Jameson Taillon could be massive for the Cubs.
#2. New York Yankees
Another club looking to upgrade its pitching staff is the New York Yankees. Unlike the Chicago Cubs, the Yankees will be one of the top contenders to win the World Series in 2025, and adding a player with Shane Bieber's resume could be massive in their quest for a title.
The Yankees have a number of pitchers who could cover for Bieber in the rotation as he works his way back from injury. While Juan Soto's free agency will define the Yankees' offseason, Bieber could be an underrated addition to Aaron Judge's team.
#3. Detroit Tigers
A dark-horse contender to land Bieber in free agency is the Detroit Tigers. After a surprising postseason run, the Tigers may be looking to bolster their roster to reach the playoffs again in 2025. One of the areas that they will be looking to improve on is rotation. Detroit could be an intriguing landing spot, given their impressive step forward last season.