CLEVELAND — With the Cleveland Guardians sitting at 27-33 through the first 60 games of the 2023 season, it seems possible -- if not likely -- the team will listen to offers for starting pitcher Shane Bieber ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline.
But despite Bieber's status as one of baseball's best pitchers, one prominent reporter says that the Guardians might not receive a significant return.
In his latest column for The Athletic, Ken Rosenthal explored the possibility that Cleveland could part ways with its 28-year-old ace in the coming weeks. In doing so, Rosenthal quoted an anonymous executive who questioned the type of return the Guardians would receive in return for Bieber.
“I can’t say with 100 percent certainty he’s a playoff difference-maker,” the executive said. “He may help you get there, but I don’t know that he’s the answer in the playoffs.”
Regardless of the potential return, it would seem inevitable that Cleveland would gauge the market for Bieber, who remains under team control through the 2024 season. History would indicate that the Guardians would be able to fetch a bigger return for the 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner this summer than they would be able to next offseason, when any team that acquires him would have him under contract for one potential postseason as opposed to two.
But if the offers for Bieber aren't significant -- as the anonymous executive suggested -- then perhaps Cleveland would be more inclined to keep the two-time All-Star through at least the remainder of the 2023 campaign. Despite their losing record, the Guardians are just 3 1/2 games back of the Minnesota Twins for first place in the American League Central Division -- a gap that would be made more difficult to close without their ace.
Should Cleveland keep Bieber, it could then reassess his market trade next offseason or even negotiate a potential -- and admittedly unlikely -- extension. Currently making $10 million this season, the UC-Santa Barbara product is likely in line to see a significant bump in his salary in his third season of arbitration in 2024.